The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Laboratory provides scientific and forensic services to almost 300 labs in 80 countries.
The laboratory, which was originally established to carry out scientific research on opium, cannabis and other substances under international control, now ensures worldwide availability and accessibility of internationally accepted standards for forensic best practices. It also improves national forensic capacity and capabilities to meet internationally accepted standards of performance, and promotes the use of scientific and forensic data in strategic operations, policy and decision-making processes.
The laboratory, established by the General Assembly in 1954 as the United Nations Narcotics Laboratory, was based in Geneva until 1979.
