Keywords
psychotropic substances
precursors
implementation of international law
national legislation of Ukraine
new psychoactive substances
How to Cite
Abstract
The article presents a comparative legal analysis of international mechanisms for the control of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursors established in three universal United Nations conventions – the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 (as amended by the 1972 Protocol), the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988. The structure of the international drug control regime, its key regulatory and law enforcement instruments, as well as the functional interaction of these conventions in shaping a comprehensive system of international regulation of the circulation of controlled substances are examined. The aim of the study is to identify the specific features of the international legal regime governing narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursors and to assess the degree of implementation of the relevant conventions in the national legislation of Ukraine. The research employs a set of general scientific and special legal methods, including comparative legal, formal legal, systemic-structural, normative-dogmatic, and legal analysis methods. These approaches made it possible to examine the scope of regulation of each convention, determine their complementary nature, and identify the specific features of the formation of the national control model in the field of circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursors. The main mechanisms for implementing international standards in the legal system of Ukraine are analyzed, particularly through the Law of Ukraine “On Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursors,” criminal law regulation, the system of state control over precursors, interagency coordination, and international cooperation. The study concludes that the Ukrainian control system generally complies with international standards, but its further development requires modernization of institutional mechanisms, strengthening of resource capacity, and adaptation to new challenges related to the spread of synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances, and the digitalization of illicit drug markets.
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