North Macedonia prepares to legalize recreational cannabis use

North Macedonia is set to become the first country in the Balkans to allow recreational use of cannabis, according to the newspaper. BalkanInsight. Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said on Friday that the government intends to adopt a model similar to the Dutch one in Amsterdam, with consumption authorization in bars, hotels and other tourist spots in the country's most visited cities, such as Skopje or Ohrid.

“The idea is to allow the consumption of marijuana in cafes, both existing and new, and in tourist places, including Skopje, as long as they respect certain ventilation regulations, prove the origin of cannabis and so on,” Zaev told the newspaper. Deutsche Welle.

The prime minister said that this measure is part of the package of measures planned by the government to stimulate the economy, which has been hit hard by the health crisis of the pandemic.

Zaev, who for the past two years has promised a public debate on the issue, has warned that his Social Democrat government has yet to make a final decision and insists that if the country's majority rejects the proposal, he is ready to withdraw.

Medical cannabis is now legal in Macedonia and CBD from hemp is authorized

North Macedonia has allowed medical cannabis to be sold in pharmacies since 2016 and since then, legal cannabis producers have started to work, not without criticism from some pro-cannabis NGOs that the law was shaped to ban small children. entrepreneurs from entering the business, allowing only the biggest investors to profit.

Currently, only doctors can prescribe the drug for specific cancers, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and HIV. However, it is possible to freely market hemp oil with a THC content of less than 0,2%. The country is now turning to the sales of hemp companies for economic purposes, to reduce unemployment and help the industry. This means that cannabis medicines with a THC content of less than 0,2% are now available and can be purchased from pharmacies.

However, the country has not fully decriminalized cannabis use. On Thursday, Justice Minister Bojan Maricic said it would be good to start a public debate on full decriminalization, in which experts and the NGO sector should share views.

“Quality regulation in this area can bring several benefits to the country, such as regulating the cannabis trade, deterring crime and, of course, economic benefits, especially in tourism and hospitality,” said Maricic.

Also Croatia, earlier this year, drafted a law on the full legalization of cannabis for medicinal and recreational purposes. The project is currently under public debate.