A vote at the United Nations has acknowledged the curative value of marijuana - a plant that has been used for years for its medicinal properties, The Associated Press reported Thursday.
The use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes has been traced way back in the 15th century BC when the Chinese touted its healing powers, to ancient Greece and Egypt.
The U.N. Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted to remove cannabis from a listing of the world's dangerous drugs.
Cannabis experts concur that the effect of the ruling could be significant, disrupting the medical marijuana industry on a global scale. Cannabis was categorized with heroin and other opioids as dangerous.
The vote to delist cannabis from the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was won by 27 votes to 25 votes, with one abstention and with the U.S. and Europe voting for the revision.
China, Russia, Pakistan and Nigeria opposed the changes while advocates of the plant have waited nearly two years for the vote.
Canada and Uruguay have legalized the use and sale of cannabis for recreational purposes, but many nations have decriminalized the possession of marijuana. Luxembourg and Mexico are close to becoming the third and fourth nations to legalize the recreational use of cannabis.
The UN ruling will add to an increasing push by many to allow more access to cannabis-based medicines. The decision is expected to pave the way for more scientific studies into marijuana's medical value.
According to drug reform non-government organizations, the UN decision is "welcome news for the millions who use cannabis for medical purposes, and reflects the reality of the growing market for cannabis-based therapeutic products," Vice News quoted a joint news release as saying.
