Fear and Loathing in the United Nations: The Establishment of International Control of Psychedelics Through the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances
Måns Bergkvist, Damon Barrett, Johan Edman, Bjorn Helge Johnson
Contemporary Drug Problems March 7, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1177/00914509261429506 via OpenAlex
Summary
The article examines how psychedelics were included in the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, despite limited evidence of public health risks. Sensationalized media coverage and Cold War dynamics influenced perceptions, with Eastern Bloc nations framing drug issues as failures of the West. Unlike other substances that had political and cultural support, psychedelics faced stricter regulation. However, the U.S. managed to maintain some allowances for research and use against calls for more restrictions from France and the USSR.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | Psychedelics were regulated more strictly than other substances due to a lack of political support and amplified media concerns, despite limited evidence of their public health dangers. |
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Abstract
This article explores the processes that led to the inclusion of psychedelics under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, a cornerstone of international drug control. Drawing on archival records, we analyze the narratives and dynamics that shaped this decision. Despite limited scientific evidence of public health dangers, concerns about psychedelics were amplified by sensationalized media focused on their perceived risks, including dependency potential and associations with youth counterculture. The Cold War context influenced international consensus, with Eastern Bloc nations framing drug issues as Western societal failures while Western nations emphasized drug control as a public health priority. While tobacco, alcohol, sedatives, and stimulants benefited from cultural, political, and economic advocacy, psychedelics had no such support, which facilitated their stricter regulation. However, the United States played a pivotal role in preserving allowances for psychedelic research and the use of psychedelic plants, counterbalancing proposals from France and the USSR for more restrictive measures. Building on previous studies in global drug diplomacy, the article underscores the interplay of ideological, cultural, political, and institutional factors in shaping international drug policy.