Agreements and Treaties. Romania is a party to the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Romania has ratified the 1988 UN Convention, but has not fully implemented the necessary enforcement statutes. The present extradition treaty between the US and Romania dates from 1930, but is still recognized and applicable. Romanian authorities cooperate with the USG and other Western countries on narcotics-related extraditions, and with other legal and consular matters involving the arrest of US citizens involved in narcotics trafficking.
Cultivation is limited to licit opium poppy for Romania's pharmaceutical needs.
Local drug use is rare, but opium poppy and cannabis are grown in small quantities for culinary and household use. There have been no reports of illicit drug processing inside Romania. However, health officials believe that local drug use is low, but rising. Per capita income is low and most Romanians cannot afford to purchase illicit drugs. There is now a public education, antidrug policy under the supervision of the Ministry of Health with the active participation of the police.