Legalisation of medicinal cannabis in Macedonia

by Vlatko Dekov

Yes, it’s true – in February 2016, Macedonia legalised medicinal cannabis. The law covers the production of cannabis by legal entities which then supply it to companies producing cannabis-based medicines in Macedonia. It was a surprise to everyone, considering the intolerance exhibited by our right-wing government towards illicit substances and marginalised communities. Still, the act confirmed the suspicion that literally anything can be expected from a government such as ours, regarding drug policies. As an example, just a few years ago, at the time of Bolivia’s request to the UN for the legalisation of coca leaves, Macedonia was one of four countries which withdrew objections to the proposal.

It should be said from the outset, that the law is far from ideal. Its adoption lacked transparency, and it was drafted without input from civil society. The law was never presented during the two debates organised around the issue, and representatives from civil organisations working in this field were not invited to contribute. The draft law began moving through the parliamentary system immediately after being issued, thereby preventing any proper analysis or discussion. Nevertheless, Healthy Options Project Skopje – HOPS – carried out such an analysis, and we present our key remarks and recommendations below.

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