China
In 2001 China scheduled for mephedrone as a schedule one.
Ketamine is a category 1 substance and is strongly controlled. In 2009 5 tonnes a year have been seized. This has almost doubled. Third most intercepted drug after heroin and methamphetamine. Other countries are reporting ketamine abuse. Some countries have scheduled, but not at an international level. Ask that it be put on the international scheduling as soon as possible. A lot of ketamine coming into china isn’t pharmaceutical grade it has been synthesised. Have petitioned UN Secretary General to get ketamine put onto the schedule.

Saudi Arabia
Tramadol suffers the abuse of tramadol. Saudi arabia strongly supports the request to schedule Tramadol. Should stress that there is no link between scheduling a substance and limiting proper medical use.  Support Egypt’s request to schedule.

Canada
State party notifications: Thanks other countries for making use of the early warning system to pass on data and information about substances.
Provisional controls: important testament to the flexibility of the conventions.

Iran
NPS substances are causing challenges. Good to hear work has been done on them. Support Ketamine and Tramadol being put into scheduling.

United Arab Emirates
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Criminalised tramadol. 38% of traffickers were smuggling tramadol. UAE support’s egypt’s initiative. Tramadol is a danger for region and the world. Need to take decisive measures.

Chairperson
Quotes the speaker from the UK about different legal status of mephedrone across borders and need to align policy.

USA
Tramadol: recognise the risks, will schedule tramadol
Scheduling of NPS: info sharing is key. Prioritisation is important to figure out which ones high prevalence and risk
Synchronisation of scheduling process: needs to be better
Provisional controls: a process that is embedded in the treaties. It’s a good use of the conventions.

UK
Global Early warning system is a strong tool. Members states should engage with this tool. WHO can’t keep up with NPS, so a need to prioritise. Also, groups of substances to improve efficacy. NPS is a major challenge.

Nigeria
Tramadol is a major public health issue. Scheduled in 2012. Smuggled in to country. SUpports moves to schedule.

Australia
Supports comments from UK and US about scheduling decisions. We are always catching up, not looking prospectively. We may need to look at scheduling of generic classifications.

Jordan
Jordan has scheduled tramadol. Monitoring growing seizure figures.

Panel responses to the responses
We need to find effective mechanisms to control NPS. Need to be holistic.

It is clear that there is much importance concerning dynamic scheduling. There is a need to change the names of certain substances. Companies use different names to get around controls and make sales.

Give tramadol decision extra importance. Would like to see preemptive approach.

UNODC warning system is a good one for information dispersal.

Chair summing up
we want to tackle concerns from various countries, which is part of objective of conventions otherwise each country will go their own way. i’m please with tone of discussion and hope this will be good beginning for extended discussion on scheduling of substances and looking at various ideas that have been tabled today, with regard to making use of early warning, being more proactive instead of responding in retroactive manner.