The Hague International Opium Convention was signed on January 23, 1912 and entered into force in 1915.

The Convention on Psychotropic Substances was signed on February 21, 1971 and entered into force in August 1976.

The UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was adopted on March 30, 1961 and entered into force on December 16, 1964.

As violence soars, so do voices of dissent against drug prohibition, notes this Economist piece.

The U.S. Department of State released its 2012 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report in March, 2012.

The U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy released the National Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy in January 2012. The press release states,

"The Strategy outlines new actions that seek to reduce the two-way flow of illicit drugs between the United States and Canada by increasing coordination among Federal, state, local, and tribal enforcement authorities, enhancing intelligence-sharing among counterdrug agencies, and strengthening our Nation's ongoing counterdrug partnerships and initiatives with the Government of Canada and Canadian law enforcement agencies."

Shannon K. O'Neil says domestic responsibility and action are needed to win Mexico's drug war.

Shannon K. O'Neil testifies before the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Foreign Affairs and  Committee on Homeland Security on the way forward for U.S.-Mexico security cooperation.

International efforts have helped reduce the number of Afghan provinces growing opium poppies. But CFR's George Gavrilis says the drug trade continues to flourish, requiring broader counternarcotics efforts.