Cannabis in Palau is illegal, but reports indicate the drug is widely produced and consumed on the island nation. Palau is a former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands of the United States which gained independence in 1994, and has a population under 20,000. Reports by the World Health Organization and UNODC have been called into question for the accuracy of their claims that Palau has the highest cannabis usage rates on the planet. Despite controversy over the numbers, usage appears high, and a 2005 academic paper states the Palau police ignore public consumption.