IMPACT OF INTERNATIONAL TREATIES ON NIGERIA'S CANNABIS LEGISLATION

Abstract

This paper analyses the impact of international drug control treaties on Nigeria’s cannabis legislation, focusing on how global obligations shape and limit domestic reforms. Employing doctrinal legal research and comparative analysis, it examines treaty provisions, Nigerian statutes, case law, and policy documents. Findings show that while treaties such as the 1961 Single Convention, the 1971 Psychotropic Substances Convention, and the 1988 UN Drug Trafficking Convention provide a structured control framework, they restrict Nigeria’s flexibility in addressing medical use, industrial hemp, and criminal justice reform. The study identifies tensions between international compliance and Nigeria’s socio-economic and public health needs, cautioning that strict prohibition risks undermining reform opportunities. It recommends a phased approach: legalizing medical cannabis and industrial hemp, easing penalties for minor possessions, and engaging in international fora to push for more flexible treaty interpretations.