CITES and Medicinal Plants

Introduction

Historically, people have collected plants and used them for treating and preventing various symptoms and diseases. To this day, people in East Asian countries use medicinal plants for traditional health care treatments. The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged the importance of traditional medicines

Approximately 60,000 plant species are harvested mainly for medicinal usage in the world. These harvested medicinal plants are not only a major source for traditional medicine, but are also used as an important raw material for modern medicine, perfume, cosmetic products, etc. Demand for and trade in these medicinal plants have been increasing. The global reported trade in plants for medicinal purposes alone(customs code HS1211, a subset of the custom codes analysed in the International Trade Centre study)was valued at over USD 3.4 billion in 2014 (United Nations 2016). Most of these precious plants resources, however, are harvested in the wild and easily traded across borders outside of CITES regulation. Many medicinal plant species are threatened with extinction through overharvesting, habitat loss, climate change, and illegal international trade. Sustainable harvest and legal trade are thus key to ensure the sustainable use of medicinal plants.

Recognizing all these conditions, CITES Secretariat adopted Resolution Conf. 10.19 (Rev. CoP14) on Traditional medicines with following recommendations to Parties.

<Recommendations to Parties>

a) Work closely with groups of traditional medicine practitioners and consumers in developing public education and awareness programmes towards the elimination of illegal use of endangered species. Developing awareness of the need to avoid over-exploitation of other wild species.

b) Promote the development of techniques, including the application of forensic science, for identifying parts and derivatives used in traditional medicines.

c) Encourage the further use in traditional medicines of alternative ingredients to specimens of threatened wild species. With such as synthetic compounds and derivatives of less threatened species.

d) Consider the application of artificial propagation to meet the needs of traditional medicines where this would relieve pressure on wild populations of species. 

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