IIMUN Championship Conference 2015 Study Guide

The Indian
International Model
United Nations
Championship
Conference
Topic A: Ebola Issue

Topic B: Legalisation Of Marijuana
IIMUN Championship Conference 20151

Study Guide
Chairpersons Address…………………………………………………………………………….3
Committee History…………………….....…….…………………………………………..………4
Introduction………………..................................................................................4
Mandate….....................................................................................................4
Governance, Structure and Membership.....................................................4
Powers & Functions......................................................................................5
Conclusion ….................................................................................................6
Bibliography..................................................................................................6
Agenda A..…..................................................................................................9
Agenda B…..................................................................................................31
Note to delegates.......................................................................................51

Chairperson’s Address
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to 3 days of ardent debate,
intense lobbying and short lived
diplomatic relations in the WHO
simulated at IIMUN 2015: The
Championship conference.
A bit about myself- I am Yash Naik,
currently an Econ-Business student doing
the second year of the International
Baccalaureate in Singapore International
School. MUNning has been my passion
since I attended my first MUN, which was
the first edition of IIMUN Mumbai (don’t
worry first timers, I know how you feel!).
Since then, I have extensively immersed
into the depths of MUN, from attending
the HarvardMUN Boston, to being the
Secretary General of our very own
SISMUN 2015. Aside from MUNning, I’m
an avid listener of the rap genre, so if you
drake, I already like you.
Delegates, it is my advice that you take this study guide only as a starting point for your
research. It is impossible for a guide to suffice the entire field of work and I encourage
extensive research to be done before the conference, to have not only a productive
committee, but also a fun one.
As you know, delegates, 2014 and 2015 have been and are very volatile and important years
for the WHO, thus the dais expects intense and invigorating debate, second to no other
committee simulated at this conference.
Feel free to contact me with any queries.
Yash Naik
Vice Chair
naik.yash@hotmail.com
9820915483

The Committee
Introduction
The World Health Organization (WHO) was established in 1945 as the result of a
meeting of the UN Conference on International Organizations. The Constitution of
the World Health Organization was approved the following year, and in 1948, the
first session of the World Health Assembly convened to decide what the priorities of
the organization would be. Over the years, many of those priorities have remained
on WHO's agenda - malaria, maternal health, and nutrition, for instance, and
unfortunately, remain relevant to this day – alongside newly recognized public health
challenges, such as mental health and HIV/AIDS.
Since its inception, WHO has been successful in eliminating or making scarce
numerous threats to global health. Smallpox, once a worldwide epidemic, was last
documented in 1977 thanks in large part to a program led by WHO. A comparable
campaign is still underway to eradicate polio, and although some milestones have
not been met, the extent to which the disease is found throughout the world has
diminished drastically. The rates at which infants and children are vaccinated against
potentially deadly diseases have climbed impressively since WHO first began its
campaign to ensure childhood immunization in 1974. These are among only a few of
the Organization’s accomplishments, and the list continues to grow.
Mandate
The mandate of the WHO can be read in the Organization's Constitution, which
enumerates several general objectives and functions. The Constitution empowers
WHO to act in the interest of public health through research in health-related fields,
promotion of preventative health care, provision of specialized aid and assistance in
emergencies, and standardization of practices. Mental health, maternal and child
health, nutrition, and sanitation are all specifically mentioned in the Constitution,
implying the special importance of these topics. Some of WHO's other stated
functions are to assist governments in building their health systems, to eradicate
disease, to develop standards for food and pharmaceuticals, and to work vigorously
toward the Organization's objective of “the attainment by all peoples of the highest
possible level of health.”

Governance, Structure and Membership
The WHO is comprised of three primary organs. The World Health Assembly is its
plenary, decision-making body. The Executive Board -which adopts resolutions and
was created by the World Health Assembly- deals with the administrative functions
of the organizations. The Secretariat is comprised of experts and other staff who
work to facilitate WHO's work throughout the world
WHO's membership is comprised of 164 Member States, each of which may send
delegations to meetings of the World Health Assembly. The Executive Board's
membership is drawn from the following regions: seven members from Africa; six
from the Americas; three from South-East Asia; eight from Europe; five from the
Eastern Mediterranean; and five from the Western Pacific. The Executive Board
includes 34 members who are elected for three-year terms. These members are
appointed by their respective Member States, and they meet twice annually.
WHO is currently in the process of reforming its own structures in order to create a
more efficient organization that is better integrated with other actors in the field of
global public health. As part of this process, WHO is seeking input from non-state
actors and the Executive Board's meetings regarding its partnerships and
reassessment of its objectives into the next five years. In 2013, WHO adopted its
2014-2019 work programme and its budget for the next year. In 2014, WHO
discussed proposals for “streamlined reporting of Member States” and outcomes of
efforts for financial reform.
Powers & Functions

The WHO is governed, on its most basic level, by its Constitution. WHO's Six Point
Agenda also guides the Organization, providing broad objectives through which the
Organization will focus its work. Guidelines approved by WHO govern its work and
are aimed at improving Member States' national health policies, and by influencing
action in that capacity, they influence the work of WHO as a whole. WHO's
Constitution also places a special emphasis on cooperation with similar organizations
and agencies. This cooperation is aimed at promoting preventive health measures,
such as sanitation, nutrition, and shelter, and at partnering with scientists and
specialists in order to advance technological, research, and policy goals for global
health.

The World Health Organization may adopt resolutions on agenda topics; this is the
organization's primary way of presenting recommendations relating to global public
health. The WHO Executive Board is responsible for the implementation of these
resolutions. The Executive Board may also address proposals made by Member
States, establish new committees, delegate tasks to those committees, and make
recommendations to Member States for the reformation of their own individual
health policies.
Special awareness campaigns and other targeted programs also make up a large part
of WHO's work. The organization devotes specified days annually to topics such as
tuberculosis, tobacco use, hepatitis, and malaria, among others. These days focus on
promoting awareness of the issues to which they are dedicated, forming new
partnerships with donors, and stimulating the creation of work related to those
issues. Research is also one of WHO's crucial functions. From research on specific
pathogens and diseases, such as tropical disease and cancer, to research into what
health care policies may be most effective for member states, WHO plays a crucial
role as a fact- finder.
Conclusion
The World Health Organization's history is long and eventful, dating back to the
earliest days of the United Nations system. While the organization claims many
successes, it faces new challenges in a world that is becoming increasingly globalized
and connected. WHO continues toward its objectives of research, cooperation,
awareness, and facilitation, as well as the long-term goal of optimal global health.
The issues on which WHO directs its resources may now be different than they were
when the organization was founded, but they are equally as urgent and relevant.
Now, by integrating emerging countries and NGO partners in its dialogue and
solutions, its approaches to global public health may be strengthened and broadened.
Bibliography

Charles, J. (1968). Origins, History, and Achievements of the World Health Organization. British
Medical Journal, 2 (5600): 293-296.
Global Polio Eradication Initiative. (2010). Data and Monitoring. Retrieved 28 July 2013 from:
http://www.polioeradication.org/Dataandmonitoring.aspx
McCarthy, M. (2002). A Brief History of the World Health Organization. The Lancet, 360 (9340):
1111-1112. Retrieved 28 July 2013 from:
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(02)11244-X/fulltext
World Health Organization. (2013). Composition of the Executive Board [Website]. Retrieved 29 July
2013 from: http://www.who.int/governance/eb/eb_composition/en/index.html
World Health Organization. (2006). Constitution of the World Health Organization. Retrieved 4 July
2013 from: http://www.who.int/governance/eb/who_constitution_en.pdf
World Health Organization. (2013). Executive Board [Website]. Retrieved 29 July 2013 from:
http://www.who.int/governance/eb/en/
World Health Organization (2013). Executive Board 133rd Session Programme of Work [Agenda].
Retrieved 7 September 2013 from: http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB133/B133_POW1-
en.pdf
World Health Organization. (2013). Global Immunization Data [Fact Sheet]. Retrieved 28 July 2013
from: http://www.who.int/immunization_monitoring/Global_Immunization_Data.pdf
World Health Organization. (2013). Governance [Website].Retrieved 4 July 2013 from:
http://www.who.int/governance/en/index.html
World Health Organization (2013). Governance Reform [Website].. Retrieved 30 July 2013 from:
http://www.who.int/about/who_reform/governance/en/index.html
World Health Organization. Programmes and Projects. Retrieved 1 August 2013 from:
http://www.who.int/entity/en/
World Health Organization (2013). Sixty-sixth World Health Assembly: Daily Notes on Proceedings.
Retrieved 1 August, 2013 from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/2013/wha66/journal/en/
World Health Organization. (1968). The Second Ten Years of the World Health Organization.
Geneva: World Health Organization. Retrieved 7 September 2013 from:
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/14564_foreword.pdf
World Health Organization. The WHO Agenda. Retrieved 7 September 2013 from:
http://www.who.int/about/agenda/en/
World Health Organization (2013). WHO guidelines approved by the Guidelines Review Committee
[[Website]. Retrieved 7 September 2013 from:
http://www.who.int/publications/guidelines/en/index.html

World Health Organization. (2013). WHO's Role in Global Health Governance (EB132/5 Add.5)
[Report]. Retrieved 4 July 2013 from: http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB132/B132_5Add5-
en.pdf
World Health Organization (2013). World Health Report 2013: Research for Universal Health
Coverage. Retrieved 7 September 2013 from: http://www.who.int/whr/2013/report/en/index.html

Topic A: The Ebola Issue
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was first documented in 1976 through two simultaneous
outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo near the Ebola River, from which the
virus derives its name, as well as in Sudan. The virus is extremely fatal, resulting in
death for more than 50% of those infected. In most cases, improper preparation,
handling and consumption of wild bats or pigs primarily infect the contact patient.
Ebola is a deadly disease composed of a group of viruses that cause a hemorrhagic
fever and severe multisystem organ damage. It is transmitted through sharing of
bodily fluids like blood, saliva, and fecal matter through mucus membranes, and its
symptoms can be seen from anywhere between 4 and 21 days. The first signs of
Ebola are sudden onset of a high fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and
sore throat; then as the virus progresses the infected person experiences vomiting,
diarrhea, rash and kidney/liver failure.

Genus ebolavirus is one of the three ‘members’ of the filovirus family and has five
different species/strands:
Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV)

Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV)
Reston ebolavirus (RESTV)
Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV)
Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV)
The BDBV, EBOV, and SUDV have been responsible for the fatal outbreaks within
Africa, while the RESTV species (often seen in the Philippines and in China), have
infected humans, but have not resulted in documented illness or death.
However, how or where bats
contact the virus, or even if they
are the transmission vector, is
not currently proven medical
knowledge. Primates have also
been known to acts as hosts of
the virus. Mortality rates from
Ebola within these species vary,
although bats seem to be
relatively unaffected by the
disease, while non-human
primates seem to have higher
death rates. One fact is certain,
however: Ebola virus is an
example of zoonosis, a disease that spreads from animals to humans, and its ability
to survive within different organisms – bats, monkeys, and humans, for example –
indicates that the virus is not species dependent. In other words, it can sustain itself
within a variety of hosts.

Diagnoses and Cure
There are many ways to diagnose the Ebola virus such as antigen detection, serum
neutralization test, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, electron
microscopy, and virus isolation by cell culture. Treatment options, however, are very
limited and the ones that exist either are case-by-case or untested options that
present a variety of ethical dilemmas.
Ebola is one of the most deadly diseases on Earth. Unfortunately, an effective cure
has yet to be discovered. Supportive care-rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids-
and treatment of specific symptoms, improves survival.
A range of potential treatments including blood products, immune therapies and
drug therapies are currently being evaluated. No licensed vaccines are available yet,
but 2 potential vaccines are undergoing human safety testing.
In the absence of effective treatment and a human vaccine, raising awareness of the
risk factors for Ebola infection and the protective measures individuals can take is the
only way to reduce human infection and death.
Africa’s primary EVD response
In Africa, during EVD outbreaks, educational public health messages for risk reduction
focus on several factors:
Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission from contact with
infected fruit bats or monkeys/apes and the consumption of their raw meat.
Animals should be handled with gloves and other appropriate protective
clothing. Animal products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked
before consumption.
Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission in the community arising
from direct or close contact with infected patients, particularly with their
bodily fluids. Close physical contact with Ebola patients should be avoided.
Gloves and appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn when
taking care of ill patients at home. Regular hand washing is required after
visiting patients in hospital, as well as after taking care of patients at home.

Communities affected by Ebola should inform the population about the nature
of the disease and about outbreak containment measures, including burial of
the dead. People who have died from Ebola should be promptly and safely
buried.
Primary-contact and close proximity countries
Guinea
Although believed to have had its first case of Ebola in December 2013, Guinea did
not officially confirm this case until 2014 when Ebola had already spread to
neighboring countries Liberia and Sierra Leone. Since these first reports in Guinea,
3671 cases have been confirmed along with 2437 confirmed deaths. In a desperate
effort to stop the spread of Ebola and save even more citizens from contracting the
virus, Guinea declared Ebola a Health Emergency. The government in Guinea is
working to tighten the borders to prevent the outbreak from spreading, and is
requiring all people who come in contact with the disease to stay in their homes for
the three-week incubation period of the virus, or face penalty by law. Schools have
been closed until the disease has been sufficiently reduced. Instead of going to the
centers, many sick people hide in fear in their own homes, which has only helped
Ebola continue to spread by putting entire families and even communities in contact
with the disease. The Red Cross Society in Guinea has been forced to end some of its
operations after receiving death threats, because many people in Guinea believe that
doctors cause the disease. This shows the limited education some Guineans have
regarding the transmission and general knowledge of Ebola. Guinea’s first mistake -
not properly acknowledging the outbreak of Ebola when it first occurred - has led it
and its neighboring countries on a downward spiral.
The World Health Organization says there are "significant challenges in terms of
contact tracing and community engagement".

Liberia
The President of the Republic of Liberia, while declaring a State of Emergency in
Liberia on August 6 2014 said, "the scope and scale of the epidemic, the virulence
and deadliness of the virus now exceed the capacity and statutory responsibility of
any one government agency or ministry. The Ebola virus disease, the ramifications
and consequences thereof, now constitute an unrest affecting the existence, security,
and well-being of the Republic amounting to a clear and present danger.” Liberia was
struggling to keep up with the virus, reporting 10,666 confirmed cases and 4806
deaths, due to the country’s resistance to treatment. Cases of Liberians escaping
from hospitals and isolation were a huge issue, giving one reason why Liberia was hit
the hardest out of West Africa. Hospital workers were being forced to work without
proper protective materials. The virus in Liberia had affected much more than just
public health as it was also linked to Liberian food shortages.
However, A single new case was reported on 20 March, which may have been spread
via sexual contact. No further cases related to this one emerged.

The source of infection for that case remains under investigation. It was an isolated
case in the nation's path towards disease elimination. Liberia was declared free of
Ebola on 9 May.
The nation will be on "heightened vigilance" for three months, per the World Health
Organization. WHO will also remain an "enhanced presence" in Liberia for the rest of
2015, with a particular focus on areas that border Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone
After the outbreak of Ebola in Guinea, Sierra Leone had its first outbreak in May of
2014 on the border of Guinea. Since the outbreak in May 2014, there have been
12,962 suspected cases and 3919 deaths. In efforts to try to control the spread of the
disease, the government in Sierra Leone has instituted stricter regulations for travel
in and out of Sierra Leone, required quarantine for those affected or possibly
affected (punishable by the police), and increased restrictions on mass gatherings.
Similar to other countries struggling to control the spread of Ebola, these actions
have provoked public resentment and protests against doctors and the required
quarantine. The fear of being kicked out of villages or houses has led to a large
number of hidden cases (people are too afraid to seek help after contacting the
disease). In an attempt to control to spread of the disease, the government of Sierra
Leone declared a three-day lockdown beginning September 19, 2014. During the
three day lockdown, people were banned from leaving their houses and volunteers
went door-to-door as part of a social campaign to help educate the community.
Although Ebola cases started to decline rapidly in December and early in the New
Year 2015, a rise occurred in the final week of January. More districts reported newly
confirmed cases. Most of the new cases were not in registered contacts.
WHO labeled transmission "widespread" as February began. Widespread

transmission followed, with 60-100 new cases per week until late March. The
declining trend has plateaued since April.
WHO said in March that "treatment capacity exceeds demand" in Sierra Leone.
National authorities are decommissioning surplus facilities in phases.

Nigeria
Nigeria's first case of Ebola occurred when a man traveled from Liberia to Nigeria
after his sister died from Ebola. The man had been in contact with her body and had
contracted the virus. Arriving in Nigeria on July 20 and dying on July 25, the man
exposed others in Nigeria to the disease, including health officials who subsequently
fell ill. Since this exposure, Nigeria has experienced 63 cases and 17 deaths. The
Nigerian government has been praised for its ability to maintain a relative level of
calm among its citizens. By working with local media, the government has been able
to educate communities and thus to prevent many of the “hidden cases” that have
occurred in neighboring countries. The Nigerian government has not yet imposed any
quarantines or travel restrictions, which has been credited for the maintained trust
between the government and citizens. Although no quarantines have been imposed
on the citizens, school has been suspended while the government attempts to
control the virus. Surveillance teams are on high alert monitoring the people who
have come in contact with those infected. The level of attention and trust in Nigeria,
along with the outbreak taking place in a relatively isolated part of Nigeria, is unique
compared to the other countries struggling to control the virus and can hopefully
help set a precedent for controlling Ebola in West Africa.
The Democratic Republic of Congo

Ebola is not new to the Democratic Republic of Congo--it is the site of the first
outbreak in 1976. The DRC had not experienced the virus since 2012, until on August
26, 2014 the Ministry of Health informed the World Health Organization of the first
suspected case of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first victim of the
deadly disease was a pregnant women thought to have received the disease through
the preparation of bush meat. Following the death of the woman, 104 suspected
cases and 50 deaths have been reported, none of whom had come in contact with
people from infected regions of West Africa. WHO released this confirmation of the
report, stating, “results from the virus characterization, together with findings from
the epidemiological investigation, are definitive: the outbreak in DRC is a distinct and
independent event, with no relationship to the outbreak in West Africa." As
unfortunate as the situation is, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is fortunate
because of the location of the outbreak. The outbreak is currently occurring in a
remote part of the DRC, preventing more deaths than would have occurred if it were
in the capital, Kinshasa. The people in the infected region of the DRC are not known

to travel, and the area is not a tourist hot spot. The minimal movement in and out of
the affected area helps to reduce the concern that Ebola could spread from this
region to other countries and continents, including Europe. The Public Health Agency
of Canada has set up a response network in the DRC and an educational system to
teach the people of the DRC about the spread and risk of Ebola. Along with The
Public Health Agency, the Ministry of Health has also established a phone number
dedicated to educating the public about Ebola and the current cases in their region.
The Ebola outbreak in the DRC highlights the impact of location on the death toll and
the importance of education in the hopes to prevent future outbreaks.
WHO’s actions
The highest priority of WHO for this Ebola outbreak is to reduce and control the
transmission of Ebola. WHO’s most effective way of reducing transmission is to
implement specific education to those who are infected, maintain effective
quarantines, track down people who have been in contact with confirmed Ebola
cases, remove Ebola-infected bodies in a proper and timely fashion, and provide
medical personnel with quality personal protective equipment (PPE). To help
diminish the effects of Ebola, WHO seeks to utilize the existing medical workforce
and also supply affected countries with additional doctors. The majority of volunteer
doctors working under WHO come from first-world countries. Despite current efforts
to prohibit transmission of the Ebola virus, these doctors put themselves at particular
risk of contracting it.
Members of the World Health Organization are coming together to discuss possible
ways to combat Ebola. Following a two-day conference in Geneva, the World Health
Organization has begun discussing ongoing efforts by pharmaceutical companies to
develop drugs for this virus, and steps that can be taken to support the development
of these drugs. WHO has urged companies as well as authorities to collaborate and
speed up their efforts to fight the deadly virus.
On September 18, 2014, the United Nations declared the Ebola outbreak in West
Africa a threat to peace and security. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon announced that,
“the United Nations will deploy a new emergency health mission to combat one of

the most horrific diseases on the planet that has shattered the lives of millions.” This
new mission is called the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response
(UNMEER) and has five priorities: stopping the outbreak, treating the infected,
ensuring essential services, preserving stability, and preventing further outbreaks.
The UN hoped to raise $1 billion USD. Ban Ki-Moon stated, “The penalty for inaction
is high. We need to race ahead of the outbreak – and then turn and face it with all
our energy and strength.”
The WHO, in order to cure and contain the Ebola outbreak, took 4 major steps in the
affected countries:
1) Training burial teams and frontline workers to protect themselves while caring
for patients
WHO has been:

Providing curricula for multiple partners on trainings in the field on case
management, contact tracing, safe and dignified burials and social
mobilization;
Providing trainings on contact tracing;
Working with partners (the Governments of France, United Kingdom,
USA) to train thousands in the classroom and in simulation.
To date, the following workers have been trained under WHO’s guidance.
Guinea: 75 doctors have been trained to supervise health-care workers conducting

contact tracing; 50 doctors have been previously trained and deployed. The goal is to
have 6 doctors in each of the active 17 prefectures.
Liberia: Working with the Ministry of Health (MOH), WHO has trained around 100
participants in the hot zone (phase 3) and is expanding its hot-zone training capacity.
WHO will deliver in-clinic training to 40 national and international personnel per
week over 2 training sessions. Nearly 1000 Ebola treatment unit personnel have been

trained in cold case management due to the collective efforts of WHO, MOH and the
US Department of Defense.
Sierra Leone: The Government of United Kingdom and WHO have trained about 4115
health-care workers, hygienists and trainers in basic personal protective equipment,
infection prevention and control, and site layout. The UK and WHO will shortly be
opening other treatment centers in other areas. WHO is currently starting up hot-
zone training with 5 experienced clinicians.
2) Working with communities

WHO had been helping engage with communities. This enables communities to
recognize the symptoms of Ebola early and move their family members to care so
they do not infect others in the family or community.
3) Building Ebola treatment centers

WHO has been working with partners to build Ebola treatment centers (ETCs) and
community care centers (CCCs) so that patients can be given care to increase their
chances of survival.
In December of 2014, the total number of beds to provide care has more than
doubled in Sierra Leone (267 to more than 650) and in Liberia (from 480 to nearly
1000). In Guinea, the overall capacity has remained relatively stable (approximately
200 beds).
4) Providing epidemiological data

WHO has been providing regular situation reports on the Ebola response roadmap
that contains a review of the epidemiological situation and an assessment of the
response measured against the core Roadmap indicators, where available. Updates
have been provided for the following countries:
Those with widespread and intense transmission;

Those with or that have had an initial case or cases, or with localized
transmission;
Those countries that neighbor or have strong trade ties with areas of active
transmission
International response to the outbreak
The European Union
In October 2014 the European Council appointed Christos Stylianides, EU

Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, as EU Ebola Coordinator
Financial assistance
The EU's total financial contribution to fight the epidemic is over €1.3 billion. This
includes funding from the Member States and the European Commission.
The Commission has given over €417 million to fight the disease, covering emergency
measures as well as longer-term support.
Humanitarian Aid
Since March 2014, the European Commission has provided more than €68 million in
humanitarian aid to address the most urgent needs. EU aid contributes to epidemic
surveillance, diagnostics, treatment and medical supplies; deployment of doctors and
nurses and training of health workers; raising awareness among the population and
promotion of safe burials.
The Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), which serves as a response
hub under the authority of the EU Ebola Coordinator, has organized humanitarian
bridges over air and water to deliver emergency supplies provided by the Member
States such as food aid, medical kits, clean blankets and chlorine for sanitations. EU
humanitarian experts, including specialists in hazardous diseases, have been
deployed to the three most affected countries.
Development Aid
In addition to the existing EU and bilateral development partnerships, the
Commission is providing over €210 million in development and early recovery

assistance. Most of this money is provided to stabilize the countries and assist them
in recovering from the crisis and beyond.
Development funding is also used to strengthen other important areas like
healthcare, education, water and sanitation. The idea is to facilitate a smooth
transition from the humanitarian phase to recovery through what is known as a
"Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development" (LRRD) approach.
Three mobile laboratories, deployed in Guinea and Sierra Leone, help with the
detection of the virus and training of health workers. The labs can process up to 70
samples each day, seven days a week. A fourth mobile laboratory, EUWAM-Lab,
more robust and self-sustaining, left for Guinea in early March.
Medical Research
The European Commission has promptly and strongly supported urgent Ebola
research on potential treatments, vaccines and diagnostic tests with close to €140
million from Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation funding program.
Most promisingly, the EU-funded REACTION project recently announced encouraging
evidence that favipiravir, an antiviral drug, is an effective treatment against early
Ebola disease.
Medical Evacuation
International health workers are the backbone of the response to the Ebola epidemic.
To support their mobilization and protection, the EU has established a medical
evacuation system. Member States are making capacity available for this. The
Medevac system ensures evacuation to an equipped hospital in Europe for
international health workers and other EU nationals diagnosed with the virus.
The Americas
Canada
Canada has committed funding to support health, humanitarian and security
interventions in West Africa.
Allocations include:
Over $20 million to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Over $15 million to strengthen the medical response in Ebola-affected countries.
Over $35 million to other non-governmental organizations to further aid countries
affected.
The Government of Canada has made numerous technical and in-kind contributions
to help stop the spread of Ebola virus disease.
• Canada provided infection prevention and control, and enhanced surveillance
and outbreak response capacity in the affected region.
• Canada sent two mobile laboratories to Sierra Leone with rotating teams of
Agency scientists. They will do rapid diagnostic testing and infection control
measures.
• Donated 800 vials of Canada's experimental VSV-EBOV vaccine to the WHO.
The 800 vials were shipped to Geneva starting on October 20 and the last
shipment was sent on October 27.
• Donated vials of Canada's experimental VSV-EBOV vaccine to support clinical
trials happening in Maryland, USA, Europe and Africa.
• $2 million worth of PPE to frontline healthcare professionals.
• Canada is sending up to 40 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) healthcare and
support staff to Sierra Leone to support efforts on the ground in West Africa.
Canadian military doctors, nurses, medics and support staff will work alongside
their UK military partners.
The United States of America

Since the start of the outbreak, the United States has sent more than 3,000 DOD, CDC,
USAID, and other U.S. health officials to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea to assist
with response efforts, as part of a 10,000-person U.S.-backed civilian response. This
has allowed:
Deployment of key medical and expert personnel: The United States has
deployed to West Africa more than 170 civilian medical, healthcare, and
disaster response experts from multiple U.S. government departments and
agencies, some of whom are part of the U.S. Agency for International
Development’s (USAID) Disaster Assistance Response Team.

Scaling-up the DoD presence: DoD announced the planned deployment of 3,200
troops, including 1,100 in the next two weeks. More than 600 U.S. military
personnel are now in the region, and the total troop commitment will depend
on the requirements on the ground. Personnel from the U.S. Naval Medical
Research Center continue to operate three mobile medical labs, which provide
24-hour turnaround results on samples.
U.S. financial support: The United States has obligated more than $300 million
toward fighting the outbreak in West Africa and announced its intentions to
devote more than $1 billion to the whole-of-government Ebola response effort,
by far the largest investment by any donor.
New hospital for infected workers: DoD is finishing construction of a hospital for
infected medical workers, which will be operational and staffed by U.S. Public
Health Service officers starting in November.
Progress on Ebola Treatment Units: The U.S. military is overseeing the
construction of up to 17 100-bed Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) in Liberia. The
construction of three ETUs is underway, and they will be completed in
November. The U.S. government also supports the construction of several
ETUs by international NGOs in Liberia.
Community Outreach and Safe Burials: U.S. support helps to inform, educate and
better equip communities to protect themselves and their loved ones against
Ebola. Additional U.S. support has helped Liberia increase to 65 the number of
safe burial teams working across every county to safely and respectfully
dispose of bodies, largely reducing a primary vehicle of transmission of the
disease.
Asia
China, as Africa’s biggest trading partner, helped Ebola-hit areas with both personnel
and medical supplies. Till now, China has sent several rounds of public health training
team, medical team and mobile lab test team, with the total number reaching nearly
800. According to the Health News, a newspaper affiliated with the National Health
and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), Chinese medical experts dispatched to
West Africa have trained 10,202 local staff to treat Ebola patients. Besides, China
donated food and supplies totaling over $10 billion. Chinese infectious disease
experts have established mobile laboratory in Sierra Leone. And Chinese military
scientists have also developed a candidate vaccine.

According to media reports in South Korea, South Korea has joined global efforts to
fight Ebola by sending medical workers and offering US$12.6 million in assistance.
South Korea plans to send 30 medical workers to Sierra Leone. Seoul’s first batch of
10 medical workers left for Sierra Leone in late December. They returned home on
Jan.26, 2015 after treating patients there for about one month. South Korea sent its
second batch of 9 medical personnel to Ebola-hit Sierra Leone on Jan.10, 2015. The
government plans to send its final and third batch of 11 medical workers early
February.
Compared with China and Korea, some ASEAN countries’ contributions to fighting
Ebola are limited to food, financial support, and medical equipment donation.
According to a report in Reuters , Malaysia has sent more than 20 million medical
rubber gloves to five African nations to help solve the supply shortage. An earlier
report in AFP reported that the Philippine government turned down a U.S. request to
dispatch medical workers to Ebola-hit areas, saying it will focus more on prevention
against any local outbreak. But each ASEAN member has reportedly setup emergency
operations centers for Ebola which are in contact with the WHO’s regional office in
Geneva.
Oceania
Australia and New Zealand have sent a combine number of 15 medical professionals
and donated a total of $7 million dollars for the cause.

Questions to consider
What responsibilities do individual countries have in regards to responding to
the Ebola crisis? What about the World Health Organization?
Should developed countries be more concerned about eradicating Ebola in
Africa or preventing its presence within their own borders?
Is it unethical for a powerful nation to remain neutral in this situation? Can the
Ebola crisis be considered a humanitarian concern?
How can the WHO help West African nations develop the resources to combat
an Ebola outbreak on their own (to a reasonable degree; at some point,
international involvement is important)?
What are the ethical implications of administering a drug with unknown
consequences to an Ebola patient? Who should give consent for this individual
to be treated with such a medicine?
Out of the major long-term solutions presented above (NGO/ government
involvement, medical advancements, other technology, and education/ social
mentality changes) which are the most plausible and which are the most
inefficient solutions?
In your opinion, what is the best way to go about convincing West Africans to
modify their lifestyles to prevent the spread of Ebola virus? Does it lie in
foreign aid or local leaders/ government?
What course of action, in terms of developing long-term solutions, is in the
best interests of your country?
Sample Working Paper
Working Paper: Antibola
Endorses the creation of local PRCPC medical centers containing victim housing,
medical professional housing, and stockpiles of both medical and food supplies in the
event of a pandemic outbreak in countries designated as having an underdeveloped
public health system by the PRCPC,

Sample Resolution
(circa November 2014: adopted from a previous resolution of the general assembly)
In the light of the recent and ongoing Ebola outbreak in Western Africa that has
caused over 4,000 deaths with a 52% fatality rate, and the evident lack of
appropriate medical health infrastructure in said area, a new international response
policy must address this lapse in pandemic outbreak control,
Bearing in mind the recent 2014 Ebola outbreak in the West African countries of
Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone,
Noting the possible at-risk population exceeding 1,400,000 persons in Western Africa
alone,
Proclaiming the Dictionary of Epidemiology definition of pandemic as an epidemic
occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and
usually affecting a large number of people,
Realizing the effects of previous pandemic outbreaks such as measles, polio, small-
pox, HIV/AIDS, SARS, and the avian flu,
Recognizing the World Health Organization’s current and ongoing fight against the
global HIV/AIDS epidemic and the procedures and history of said fight,
Deeply concerned by the Liberian plan-of-action to entirely shut down their country
for three days starting September 19th, 2014,
Fully aware of the World Health Organization's previous statement on the 600
million US dollars to combat the current Ebola outbreak, as well as their intention to
create an Ebola Crisis Centre,
Approving of the current donations by United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF) of
48 tons of medical and relief supplies,
Noting with satisfaction the current influence and usage of the Global Outbreak Alert
and Response Network (GOARN),
Expressing its appreciation of the United State’s recent investigation into new Ebola
vaccination research and the European Union’s donation of 140 million Euros to
encourage health systems, educate health-care workers, fund mobile testing
laboratories, among other avenues of aid,

Viewing the understaffed and under-supplied medical infrastructure of the West
African countries currently affected due to pre-existing economic and political
instability,
Observing the current reliance of the infected West African nations on international
aid as opposed to their own domestic relief systems,
Therefore this committee,

1. Calls upon the members of the World Health Organization (WHO) to create a
subsidiary committee of the World Health Organization specified as follows,
a) Titled as “Pandemic Reaction Control and Prevention Committee” (PRCPC),
b) Designates the committee to be comprised of the members of the G20, leading
representatives from Non-Governmental Organizations such as Doctors
Without Borders, leading health professionals from the respective G20
member states, representatives from the various international hospitals to be
housing and treating the infected, and various translators to assist in the
communication between the members of these nations,
c) Affirms the PRCPC’s designated task of implementing, controlling, and
monitoring the local and international levels of control and prevention of
pandemic outbreaks in the following manner,
d) Declares accordingly the following local responsibilities of the PRCPC:
i. Establishing a radio network for on-the-ground communication between health
centers combating the diseases,
ii. Calls upon the facilitation of a liaison between local news agencies to facilitate
constant updates and communication about the pandemic outbreak in the local area
on all TV networks,
iii. Encourages the development of a website for the organization that serves
as an educational tool about the current outbreak, with the ability to search for
specific updates depending on the region specified, titled PRCPC.org/myregion,
iv. Further encourages the development of an application for both Apple and Android
devices that corresponds to this same website, allowing its users to search for the
threat level in their area, and the various resources created by this committee to help
keep the pandemic at bay,

v. Endorses the creation of local PRCPC medical centers containing victim housing,
medical professional housing, and stockpiles of both medical and food supplies in the
event of a pandemic outbreak in countries designated as having an underdeveloped
public health system by the PRCPC,
vi. Authorizes the local PRCPC medical centers as seen above with the creation of
educational pamphlets on the particular pandemic at large,
vii. Further invites the creation of a specific medical team, comprised of UN aid
workers and housed in the PRCPC medical centers, to reach out to rural communities
with little access to information on the current pandemic,
e) Declares accordingly the following international responsibilities of the PRCPC:
i. Proclaims that 0.5% of each G20 country’s gross domestic product be
used to fund this initiative,
ii. Establishes a quota for each G20 country to bring in five percent of the
infected pandemic population to their own public health facilities and
research centers for treatment,
iii. Develop a professional health-care training facility for the existing health-
care workers in developing countries in the methods of prevention, public education,
sanitation techniques, vaccination developments, and victim containment
procedures,
iv. Provide international transportation for the infected to said public health facilities
and research centers
v. Further recommends the funding of health screenings at international points of
entry, including airports, ports of trade, and customs zones
vi. Increase the amount of medical and sanitation supplies to the health-care
professionals on the front-lines of the latest outbreak
vii. Designates a portion of the committee’s funds to private pharmaceutical research
facilities approved by the World Health Organization for the development of vaccines
and other preventative health measures,
viii. Trusts the current presidency of the G20 summit as the chairman and chief
mediator of the PRCPC, overseeing the exchange of medical supplies and infected
persons between nations,

2. Requests the economic assistance and aid of the G20 members listed above in the
creation of the PRCPC, aiming to combat ongoing and future pandemic outbreaks,
3. Designates the responsibility for funding and designing the creation of the
previously mentioned application to the nations of the Organization for Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD),
4. Mandates the closure of all borders and international points of entry and the
creation of a quarantine state in the infected nation once the number of deaths due
to the pandemic reaches five-hundred persons, except for the entry of military and
medical personnel,
5. Declare accordingly the halt of all international trade with the infected population
once the number of deaths due to the pandemic reaches five-hundred persons,
6. Further mandates the disregard of both national and international patent law in
reference to pharmaceutical companies and their potential development of
medicines and/or drugs to combat the pandemic,
7. Entrusts the removal of foreign nationals in the infected country to solely the
responsibility of their corresponding nation of origin,
8. Urges the various nations involved in this task of the importance of global public
health, and the mistake in overlooking such a serious and pressing issue,
9. Solemnly affirms that the G20 member states will be tasked with this new
outbreak containment procedure plan for all ongoing and future pandemic outbreaks,
10. Encourages all member states of the United Nations to accept this resolution and
accommodate this new global public health initiative,
11. Emphasizes the importance in the co-operation and patience between all G20
member states, as well as countries affected by the outbreak, in the exchange and
treatment of infected persons,
12. Decides to remain actively seized of the matters in this Resolution.
Bibliography

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/
http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.ebola-sitrep.ebola-country-GIN?lang=en
http://www.who.int/features/2014/who-ebola-response/en/
https://www.internationalsos.com/ebola/index.cfm?content_id=395
http://virus.stanford.edu/filo/bats.html.
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/transmission/index.html.
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebola-virus-outbreak/slum-residents-loot-
ebola-clinic-liberia-n182681.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/why-west-africans-keep-eating-bush-meat-which-
could-be-ebolas-bridge-from-animals-to-humans-20140806-100u73.html.
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/warning/ebola-sierra-leone.
https://ebolaresponse.un.org/funding-ebola-response
http://jmsc.hku.hk/ebola/2015/02/09/asias-reaction-to-ebola-2/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/02/11/fact-sheet-progress-
our-ebola-response-home-and-abroad

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-10-12/africa-s-ebola-and-asia-s-
obligation
https://www.whitehouse.gov/ebola-response
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/02/11/fact-sheet-progress-
our-ebola-response-home-and-abroad
http://www.news.com.au/national/medecins-sans-frontieres-slams-australias-
ebola-response/story-fncynjr2-1227061379772
http://maps.who.int/SimpleViewer_WHO/?appid=3ada31510f2046d0939f0a1f362
b241f
Topic B: The legalization of marijuana

Marijuana, which is also denoted as ‘ganja’ or ‘weed’, was consumed by
approximately 200 million people worldwide, (around 4% of the world’s population),
last year alone. Keeping this in consideration, there needs to be a proper perusal of
the problems and issues that comes with such legalization.
In the last few years the possession, sale and use of Marijuana for medical purposes
has seen increased decriminalization and legal reassessment in many parts of the
world; in late 2013 Uruguay became the first country in the world to completely
legalize Marijuana, 23 US states have legalized the use of medical Marijuana, and in
countless other countries medical marijuana has been legalized in varying degrees or
there have been calls for reassessment of its legality by prominent individuals and
organizations.
With such a large amount of export being untaxed simply because of its illegality,
governments are also losing out on massive potential revenue. In Colorado, one of
the only states in the US where cannabis has been legalized, economists have
predicted total tax revenues to be about 47.9 million US dollars; if legalized in the
entire US, this could mean about 2.9 billion dollars of additional tax revenue.
In addition to the monetary benefits, legalization offers a novel way of attacking
crime; by allowing legitimate drug stores, offering a legal way to obtain drugs and
therefore cutting down on prices, drug rings’ profits are severely cut and problems
like theft, violence, and corruption are lessened. On the other hand, while the
legalization of soft drugs offer valuable advantages on a macro scale, the effects of
such a policy may have the opposite effects on the micro scale.
However, although soft drugs are low in addictiveness, there is still opportunity for
abuse and dependence — for some, cannabis has become an addiction. At the same
time, the effects of soft drugs could pose a risk to public safety and health; not
because of organized crime, but due to ordinary citizens committing crimes while
under the influence of these substances.
Moreover, the legalization of marijuana is more complex than what it appears to be;
even though it might cause an increase in a nation's overall output (GDP) and a
decrease in crime and car accident rates it may meanwhile bring problems to
people's health and to workers firms, which claim medical marijuana "one of the top
issues for workers compensation in 2014". The results that have been obtained from
marijuana-legalized states ever since they passed the law have been positive, yet
even though it is very likely that the cause of such effects is the legalization of

marijuana, it is ambiguous whether the positive and negative changes are due to the
legalization of marijuana.
Picture Source: WHO.int
Prohibition And Regulation - History
In 1800, Napoleon banned the use of cannabis among his troops while in Egypt; this
was recorded as the first drug prohibition of the modern era. In 1860s, the
Convention of Peking marked the end of the Second Opium War. The opium trade
was legalized after many years of the British “smuggling of Indian-grown opium into
China” and acted as a precedent for the rising awareness opium use in the United
States. Consequently in 1909, as the first federal drug prohibition law was passed in
the US, the Congress outlawed the importation of opium. This enactment marks the
beginning of a century of drug prohibition.
During the 1911 Conference of The Hague, 12 participating nations prohibited all
non-medical production and use of opium, morphine and cocaine.
Beginning in the 1930s, countries around the world have begun to set drug
prohibition laws in place against the possession and distribution of drugs.
Spearheaded by the United States, this culminated in the Single Convention on

Narcotic Drugs of the United Nations in 1961, which established four schedules for
the classification of drugs and an international framework for drug regulation set in
place. Under this cannabis, or marijuana as it is known, was labeled a schedule 4 drug,
and under the same control and prohibition as “hard drugs” such as cocaine and
heroine. However, with the continued emergence of new psychoactive drugs, the
Convention on Psychotropic Substances was signed in 1971 and established similar
regulations that were set in place in the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, though
allowing drug use for medical and scientific use.
Beginning in 1971, US President Richard Nixon announced his policy on drug

prohibition that would become known as the “War on Drugs” – a military metaphor
that will be used by Nixon’s successors. Despite some politicians who shy away from
the phrase due to its obvious failures, this “war”, for most countries, has continued
unchanged for the past forty years. Although some nations have shifted their
emphasis more towards public health, education, and prevention, the major
components of the current global approach to drugs are still criminalization and
punitive law enforcement efforts.
Post-consumption of cannabis
When smoked or ingested, THC and other cannabinoids in marijuana attach to two
types of receptors on cells in your body — like keys in a lock — affecting the cells,
once attached.
CB1 is one such receptor. CB1 receptors are found mainly in your brain, especially in
areas that control body movement, memory and vomiting. This helps explain why
marijuana use affects balance and coordination and impairs short-term memory and
learning, and why it can be useful in treating nausea, pain and loss of appetite.
The other type of receptor, CB2, is found in small numbers elsewhere in your body,
mainly in tissue of the immune system, such as your spleen and lymph nodes. The
function of these receptors is not well understood. They may serve as brakes on
immune system function, which may help explain why marijuana suppresses your
immune system.
After you smoke marijuana, its ingredients reach their peak levels in your body within
minutes, and effects can last up to an hour and a half. When eaten — the plant is
sometimes mixed with food — the ingredients can take several hours to reach their
peak levels in your body, and their effects may last for hours.

The US DEA states, “Within a few minutes after inhaling marijuana smoke, an
individual's heart begins beating more rapidly, the bronchial passages relax and
become enlarged, and blood vessels in the eyes expand, making the eyes look red.
The heart rate, normally 70 to 80 beats per minute, may increase by 20 to 50 beats
per minute or, in some cases, even double. This effect can be greater if other drugs
are taken with marijuana.”
As THC enters the brain, it causes a user to feel euphoric — or 'high' — by acting in
the brain's reward system, areas of the brain that respond to stimuli such as food and
drink as well as most drugs of abuse. THC activates the reward system in the same
way that nearly all drugs of abuse do, by stimulating brain cells to release the
chemical dopamine.
A marijuana user may experience pleasant sensations, colors and sounds may seem
more intense, and time appears to pass very slowly. The user's mouth feels dry, and
he or she may suddenly become very hungry and thirsty. His or her hands may
tremble and grow cold. The euphoria passes after awhile, and then the user may feel
sleepy or depressed. Occasionally, marijuana use produces anxiety, fear, distrust, or
panic.
After one week, 25 to 30 percent of the THC and its metabolites might still remain in
the body. Complete elimination of a large dose of THC and its metabolites might take
two or three weeks.
Consequences of consuming marijuana
Drawbacks
According to various studies done by doctors associated with MedPage, a social

networking platform where doctors in their field can share their research, these were
the various negative effects marijuana has on a person:
Addiction—that’s a fairly obvious one. Also, it can cause uncomfortable withdrawal

symptoms in people who discontinue use.
Anxiety and Paranoia—In high doses or in sensitive individuals, marijuana can cause
anxiety and paranoia.

Memory Impairment—As anyone who’s ever talked to someone who is high knows,
memory impairment is common.
Mind-Altering Effects—This is particularly evident among people who haven’t used it

before as well as many young people.
Heart Attack—One study found an increase risk of heart attack within the first hour
of smoking marijuana.
Moreover, it has also been found that Marijuana changes the structure of sperm cells,
deforming them. Thus even small amounts of marijuana can cause temporary sterility
in men. Marijuana use can upset a woman’s menstrual cycle and can also cause
certain birth defects and early births amongst women who regularly consume
cannabis during pregnancy.
On the other hand, these side effects of cannabis use is extremely difficult to study
given a lack of strong control groups with extreme variation in THC concentrations
and the concomitant use of other drugs (including nicotine in the form of cigarette
smoking). The authors are quite up front about this as well. The other limitations are
“the lack of understanding as to what the true denominator is and the under-

reporting of the potential numerator”, and thus they believe “this study certainly
cannot fully implicate causation.”
Benefits
Cannabis usage, or “medical marijuana”, has been used to successfully treat:
Alzheimer’s—Marijuana may be able to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease,

according to research by the Scripps Research Institute and published in Molecular
Pharmaceuticals.
Anxiety—Harvard Medical School found that marijuana may have anti-anxiety effects.
Of course, keep in mind that high doses may increase anxiety and paranoia.
Arthritis—Marijuana can alleviate pain and inflammation linked to arthritis
Cancer—Research in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics found that

cannabidiol found in marijuana, turns off a gene called “Id-1,” which cancer cells use
to spread.
Epilepsy—Marijuana has been shown in studies by Virginia Commonwealth

University, to stop seizures in the school’s animal studies.
Glaucoma—Researchers are working on developing new drugs based on cannabis to

treat glaucoma pain after learning its effectiveness for treating the condition.
Glaucoma is a condition that increases pressure inside the eyeball and can lead to
vision loss.
Improves Lung Health—Research in the Journal of the American Medical Association

found that marijuana can increase lung capacity, not decrease it as many people have
long believed.
Multiple Sclerosis—A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal

found that cannabinoids found in marijuana significantly reduced multiple sclerosis
pain.
Nausea—Marijuana contains a minimum of 60 chemicals known as cannabinoids, of

which THC is the primary one associated with its mind-altering effects. THC has been
used in the treatment of nausea, including drug- or chemotherapy-induced nausea.

Parkinson’s Disease—Research published in MedPage Today found that marijuana
use eased tremors and improved fine motor skills in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
WHO and cannabis
Taken from the official website, who.int
Terminology
Cannabis is a generic term used to denote the several psychoactive preparations of

the plant Cannabis sativa. The major psychoactive constituent in cannabis is ∆-9
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Compounds that are structurally similar to THC are
referred to as cannabinoids. In addition, a number of recently identified compounds
that differ structurally from cannabinoids nevertheless share many of their
pharmacological properties. The Mexican term 'marijuana' is frequently used in
referring to cannabis leaves or other crude plant material in many countries. The
unpollinated female plants are called hashish. Cannabis oil (hashish oil) is a
concentrate of cannabinoids obtained by solvent extraction of the crude plant
material or of the resin.
Cannabis has become more closely linked to youth culture and the age of initiation is
usually lower than for other drugs. An analysis of cannabis markets shows that low
prices coincide with high levels of abuse, and vice versa. Cannabis appears to be
price-inelastic in the short term, but fairly elastic over the longer term. Though the
number of cannabis consumers is greater than opiate and cocaine consumers, the
lower prices of cannabis mean that, in economic terms, the cannabis market is much
smaller than the opiate or cocaine market.
Chronic health effects of cannabis use
• Selective impairment of cognitive functioning which include the organization

and integration of complex information involving various mechanisms of
attention and memory processes;
• Prolonged use may lead to greater impairment, which may not recover with
cessation of use, and which could affect daily life functions;
• Development of a cannabis dependence syndrome characterized by a loss of
control over cannabis use is likely in chronic users;
• Cannabis use can exacerbate schizophrenia in affected individuals;
• Epithetial injury of the trachea and major bronchi is caused by long-term
cannabis smoking;

• Airway injury, lung inflammation, and impaired pulmonary defense against
infection from persistent cannabis consumption over prolonged periods;
• Heavy cannabis consumption is associated with a higher prevalence of
symptoms of chronic bronchitis and a higher incidence of acute bronchitis than
in the non-smoking cohort;
• Cannabis used during pregnancy is associated with impairment in fetal
development leading to a reduction in birth weight;
• Cannabis use during pregnancy may lead to postnatal risk of rare forms of
cancer although more research is needed in this area.
The health consequences of cannabis use in developing countries are largely

unknown because of limited and non-systematic research, but there is no reason a
priori to expect that biological effects on individuals in these populations would be
substantially different to what has been observed in developed countries. However,
other consequences might be different given the cultural and social differences
between countries.
Therapeutic uses of cannabinoids
Several studies have demonstrated the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids for

nausea and vomiting in the advanced stages of illnesses such as cancer and AIDS.
Dronabinol (tetrahydrocannabinol) has been available by prescription for more than
a decade in the USA. Other therapeutic uses of cannabinoids are being demonstrated
by controlled studies, including treatment of asthma and glaucoma, as an
antidepressant, appetite stimulant, anticonvulsant and anti-spasmodic, research in
this area should continue. For example, more basic research on the central and
peripheral mechanisms of the effects of cannabinoids on gastrointestinal function
may improve the ability to alleviate nausea and emesis.
However, in a new report published by the WHO, highlighted:
Countries should work toward developing policies and laws that decriminalize
injection and other use of drugs and, thereby, reduce incarceration.
Countries should work toward developing policies and laws that decriminalize the use
of clean needles and syringes (and that permit NSPs [needle and syringe programs])
and that legalize OST [opioid substitution therapy] for people who are opioid-
dependent.
Countries should ban compulsory treatment for people who use and/or inject drugs.

Link to the report: http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/guidelines/keypopulations/en/
Legalization and Decriminalization
Another alternative to Legalization of Medical Marijuana is its decriminalization.

Where legalization of medical Marijuana involves legalization and regulation of the
whole Marijuana production and commercial cycle, decriminalization is a sort of
official ‘eyes closed’ policy by the authorities. Where legalization involves legalizing
not only the use of medical marijuana but also its growth, possession and trade,
decriminalization usually allows for light some limited allowance for personal
possession and use only. For example some in the District of Columbia where
Cannabis is decriminalized, residents are allowed to possess up to an ounce of
marijuana, and only a 25$ civil fine is applied for quantities above those. The
important thing to note is that the growth, possession for non-self-use, and sale if
cannabis is still illegal in such a regime.
Other Consequences
Aside from health benefits, there are various other factors we must also consider
while discussing the legalization of marijuana, as the WHO works for the overall
betterment of society.

There seems to be an emerging consensus in the international community that
Medical Marijuana is at least in theory legal and in compliance with the Single
Convention on Narcotic Drugs. However, the UN is still extremely concerned about
the way the Medical Marijuana is to be legalized and regulated.
Economic Gain
The United States efforts at drug prohibition started out with a US$350 million
budget in 1971, and was in 2006 a US$30 billion campaign. These numbers only
include direct prohibition enforcement expenditures, and as such only represent part
of the total cost of prohibition. This $30 billion figure rises dramatically once other
issues, such as the economic impact of holding 400,000 prisoners on prohibition
violations, are factored in.
The war on drugs is extremely costly to such societies that outlaw drugs in terms of
taxpayer money, lives, productivity, the inability of law enforcement to pursue mala
in se crimes, and social inequality. Some proponents of decriminalization say that the
financial and social costs of drug law enforcement far exceed the damages that the
drugs themselves cause. For instance, in 1999 close to 60,000 prisoners (3.3% of the
total incarcerated population) convicted of violating marijuana laws were behind bars
at a cost to taxpayers of some $1.2 billion per year. In 1980, the total jail and prison
population was 540,000, about one-quarter the size it is today. Drug offenders
accounted for 6% of all prisoners. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, drug
offenders now account for nearly 51%.
It has been argued that if the US government legalized marijuana it would save $7.7
billion per year in expenditure on enforcement of prohibition. Also, that marijuana
legalization would yield tax revenue of $2.4 billion annually if it were taxed like all
other goods and $6.2 billion annually if it were taxed at rates comparable to those on
alcohol and tobacco.
Religion
Although the Bible does not address marijuana directly, it does discuss other mind-
altering drugs. Specifically, the Bible addresses the use of drugs in the book of
Galatians:

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,
factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn
you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not
inherit the kingdom of God.
Sunni scholars also prohibit the use of marijuana. As an example, in the question-
and-answer section of the Sunni path website Shaykh Muhammad bin Adam al-
Kawthari of Dar al-Iftaa in Leicester states: “Drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opium,
etc. are all unlawful (haram) due to the various harms connected with them.” He
then establishes that marijuana is an intoxicant and supports his verdict with
a tradition from Sahih al-Bukhari that states that the Messenger of God said: “Every
intoxicant is prohibited.”
The creation of drug cartels
Mass arrests of local growers of marijuana, for example, not only increase the price
of local drugs, but also lessens competition. Only major retailers that can handle
massive shipments, have their own small fleet of aircraft, troops to defend the
caravans and other sophisticated methods of eluding the police (such as lawyers),
can survive by this regulation of the free market by the government
Thus with Medical Marijuana being legalized in more and more places around the
world, maybe it is time for the WHO to move beyond discouraging the use of medical
marijuana but to begin assessments into how to better regulate this already multi-
billion dollar industry. So that it is not open to exploitation by those seeking to
manufacture, sell, and use marijuana for recreational purposes.
To conclude, there are those who believe in many ways that current laws banning
marijuana use are similar to Prohibition in the last century during which time alcohol
was banned and believe the complete legalization of marijuana is in the near future,
but there are also those who disagree.
Thus with Medical Marijuana being legalized in more and more places around the
world, maybe it is time for the WHO to move beyond discouraging the use of medical
marijuana but to begin assessments into how to better regulate this already multi-
billion dollar industry. So that it is not open to exploitation by those seeking to
manufacture, sell, and use marijuana for recreational purposes.

Another interesting read I was taken aback by was when I learned about Israel’s
highly successful and non-controversial national medicinal cannabis program, in
which almost 10,000 patients with serious diseases and health conditions have low-
cost access to up to 100 grams of the herb each month to aid their health. That
seems a stark contrast to North America where many pharmaceutical drugs, replete
with enormous lists of side effects, also have enormous price tags that mean only the
rich or those with amazing health insurance have access.
A link to this can be found here:

http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/issue97/hg97-
featcannabis.html?ts=1435305463&signature=5bf0218f9725cc85339086aa09340bbb
Further questions to consider
1. What is your country’s position on the legalization of marijuana?

2. Should decriminalization and legalization be standardized on an international
scale?
3. How prevalent is the drug trade and cartels in your nation? How would they,
and consequently your country, be affected if sweeping changes occur in the
legalization process in your country?
4. If medical marijuana is developed and regulated, should everyone be allowed
to use it?
5. Do you think that decriminalization and legalization will decrease or increase
drug- related crimes in your nation?
6. What would be the potential benefit to your government by legalizing
marijuana (taxes?)
7. How far should the UN involve itself in interfering with nations own policies
regarding marijuana?
Sample Working Paper
All Member States should develop or adopt alternative measures to conviction or

punishment for appropriate drug-related offences of a minor nature that promote
the rehabilitation and reintegration into society of persons affected by substance use

disorders who have committed drug-related offences of a minor nature, as
appropriate;
Sample Resolution
(Adopted from UNODC Resolution 58/5 )
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs,

Aware that substance use disorders are medical and psychosocial conditions that
should receive appropriate treatment,
Aware also that a significant number of persons with substance use disorders come
into contact with the criminal justice system, where they may not have access to or
receive care or treatment,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 69/192 of 18 December 2014, in which the

Assembly recommended that Member States continue to endeavor to reduce prison
overcrowding and, where appropriate, resort to non-custodial measures as
alternatives to pretrial detention, to promote increased access to justice and legal
defense mechanisms, to reinforce alternatives to imprisonment and to support
rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, in accordance with the United Nations
Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules),33
Reminding Member States of the possibility of providing alternative measures,

including non-custodial measures, at the pretrial, trial and sentencing stages for drug-
related offences of a minor nature, in accordance with the Tokyo Rules,
Noting that such alternative measures to conviction or punishment may normally be

applied to drug-related offences of a minor, non-violent nature,
Noting also that properly implemented, scientific evidence-based interventions and

drug treatment for such individuals may assist in their recovery from substance use
disorders, reduce the likelihood of future illegal activities and promote effective
health and rehabilitation outcomes,34
Recalling that the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961,35 the Convention on
Psychotropic Substances of 197136 and the United Nations Convention against Illicit
Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 198837 establish, to varying
degrees in specific situations, that States may provide, either as an alternative to
conviction or punishment or in addition to conviction or punishment, that drug-using

offenders should be offered measures such as treatment, education, aftercare,
rehabilitation or social reintegration, dependence through health care, not
punishment”, discussion paper based on a scientific workshop,
Recalling also that in the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International
Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug
Problem38 it is stated that Member States should, working within their legal
frameworks and in compliance with applicable international law, consider allowing
the full implementation of drug dependence treatment and care options for
offenders, in particular, when appropriate, providing treatment as an alternative to
incarceration,
Recalling further Commission on Narcotic Drugs resolution 55/12 of 16 March 2012,

entitled “Alternatives to imprisonment for certain offences as demand reduction
strategies that promote public health and public safety”,
Recalling that the world drug problem remains a common and shared responsibility
that requires effective and increased international cooperation and demands an
integrated, multidisciplinary, mutually reinforcing and balanced approach to drug
supply and demand reduction strategies,
Noting that providing effective alternative measures to conviction or punishment for

appropriate drug-related offences of a minor nature may reduce prison overcrowding,
Recalling the principle that it is the responsibility of States to define crimes and
determine appropriate punishment,
Noting the provision of a range of comprehensive health services for those affected
by substance use disorders implemented through components of the justice system,
for example screening and treatment for substance use disorders, prevention and
treatment of overdose, recovery support services, prevention of and treatment for
HIV, hepatitis and other infectious diseases, and mental health disorders, in order to
minimize the negative public health and social impacts of substance use disorders,
Noting also the provision of comprehensive health services combined with

alternative measures to conviction or punishment for appropriate drug-related
offences of a minor nature,39 for example reduced or suspended sentences,
diversion programs before or during trial, home detention, community service, fines,
victim restitution, random drug testing and/or tracking via the Global Positioning

System, in order to develop an effective combination of limited sanctions and
treatment that may result in more effective crime reduction, better health outcomes
and lower costs to the State,
Noting further that some Member States have public health care and rehabilitation
programs that are accessible to all, and are able to grant access to those health
services to individuals within the criminal justice system,
Noting that, by working together, the public health and criminal justice authorities
can better utilize resources to benefit the health, safety and well-being of those with
substance use disorders, their families and their communities,
Mindful that justice and health authorities in Member States may wish to build
capacity to provide scientific evidence-based public health services, such as
behavioral and medication-assisted drug treatment, and recovery support services, in
order to effectively implement alternative measures to conviction or punishment for
appropriate drug-related offences of a minor nature,
Welcoming the ongoing work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in
promoting scientific evidence-based sentencing reforms, drug treatment and
recovery support services,
1. Invites Member States, through collaboration between the health and justice
authorities, to use a wide range of alternative measures to conviction or punishment
for appropriate drug-related offences of a minor nature in order to improve public
health and safety for individuals, families and societies;
2. Encourages Member States to develop or adopt alternative measures to conviction

or punishment for appropriate drug-related offences of a minor nature that promote
the rehabilitation and reintegration into society of persons affected by substance use
disorders who have committed drug-related offences of a minor nature, as
appropriate;
3. Invites Member States to strengthen their efforts to provide appropriate measures

aimed at reducing demand for drugs and promoting public health, in particular for
those convicted of drug-related offences of a minor nature, by offering alternative
measures to conviction or punishment, in appropriate cases, bearing in mind the
specific conditions of each country and region;

4. Encourages Member States and international and regional organizations to collect
and share, as appropriate, scientific information, research, best practices and data on
results of collaboration between the justice and public health authorities in the use
of alternative measures to conviction or punishment for appropriate drug- related
offences of a minor nature;
5. Encourages public health and justice authorities to establish appropriate

mechanisms to promote effective collaboration, regular communication and
exchange of information on the implementation of alternative measures to
conviction or punishment for appropriate drug-related offences of a minor nature
and on the provision of treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration programs
and their impact on crime and the misuse of drugs;
6. Encourages Member States to provide capacity-building, including training for

justice officials, on substance use disorders and the effectiveness of scientific
evidence-based treatment in order to minimize the negative public health and social
impacts of substance use disorders and to promote humane and effective treatment
to offenders affected by substance use disorders;
7. Invites Member States, in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime and other relevant international and regional organizations, to provide, upon
request, technical assistance and training related to expanding and improving justice
and public health collaboration for effective implementation of alternative measures
to conviction or punishment for appropriate drug-related offences of a minor nature,
inter alia, treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration programs;
8. Also invites Member States to consider reviewing their drug sentencing policies
and practices to facilitate collaboration between justice and public health authorities
in the development and implementation of initiatives that utilize alternative
measures to conviction or punishment for appropriate drug-related offences of a
minor nature, subject to the legal frameworks of Member States;
9. Invites the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in consultation with Member
States and, as appropriate, relevant international and regional organizations, to
provide guidelines and/or tools on the collaboration of justice and health authorities
on alternative measures to conviction or punishment for appropriate drug-related
offences of a minor nature;

10. Invites Member States and other donors to provide extra budgetary resources for
the purposes described above, in accordance with the rules and procedures of the
United Nations;
11. Invites the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to
include progress towards implementing the present resolution in his report to the
Commission at its sixtieth session.
Bibliography
http://www.msma.org/docs/communications/momed/Medicinal_Use_Cannabis.pdf

http://www.who.int/violenceprevention/interpersonal_violence_and_illicit_drug_us
e.pdf
http://www.rand.org/multi/dprc/marijuana.html
http://legalizationofmarijuana.com
http://uiuc.libguides.com/marijuanalegalization/background
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/shocking-health-benefits-of-marijuana.html
http://www.who.int/violenceprevention/interpersonal_violence_and_illicit_drug_us
e.pdf
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/jamie-chandler/2014/03/14/legalizing-
marijuana- wont-end-the-war-on-drugs
http://www.marijuana-syndromes.com/what-are-the-positive-effects-of-
marijuana.html
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/marijuana/the-harmful-effects.html
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19701109&id=T4IuAAAAIBAJ&
sjid=OqEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1387,1862777&hl=en

https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CND/Resolutions_Decisions/Resolut
ions-Decisions_2010-2019.html
Note to delegates:
Delegates, the background guide is meant to merely act as a starting point for your
further research.

Moreover, I HIGHLY recommend you all to simply search “Vice News” on YouTube
and watch the relevant Ebola documentaries as they have truly covered it in depth.
They have also extensively covered legalization of recreational drugs, in terms of
benefits and implications on stakeholders.
Delegates may also choose to watch more of Vice’s documentaries to not only allow
better understanding of your countries foreign policy and policy changes due to
current events, but I also expect delegates to be up to date with the current affairs
(which the videos may help you with).
Some of the videos are explicit so only do so with appropriate consent.
Moreover, although this video focuses mostly on “hard drugs” such as cocaine and
heroin, it highlights the effects of decriminalization very well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7LKfLxVtzE
The dais also expects the iimun procedure (found on the website) to be adhered with
the best of your abilities.
Any other specifications pertaining to the flow of the committee will be given pre-
first session.
Lastly, I welcome you to one of the best MUN experiences you will ever have.
Welcome to the World Health Organization, IIMUN 2015.

IIMUN Championship Conference 2015 Study Guide

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The Indian

Topic A: Ebola Issue

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Powers & Functions

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Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV)

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Africa’s primary EVD response

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Primary-contact and close proximity countries

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WHO labeled transmission "widespread" as February began. Widespread

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The Democratic Republic of Congo

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WHO has been:

Guinea: 75 doctors have been trained to supervise health-care workers conducting

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2) Working with communities

3) Building Ebola treatment centers

4) Providing epidemiological data

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International response to the outbreak

The European Union

In October 2014 the European Council appointed Christos Stylianides, EU

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The United States of America

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Sample Working Paper

Working Paper: Antibola

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Therefore this committee,

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Topic B: The legalization of marijuana

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Picture Source: WHO.int

Prohibition And Regulation - History

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Beginning in 1971, US President Richard Nixon announced his policy on drug

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Consequences of consuming marijuana

According to various studies done by doctors associated with MedPage, a social

Addiction—that’s a fairly obvious one. Also, it can cause uncomfortable withdrawal

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Mind-Altering Effects—This is particularly evident among people who haven’t used it

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