Medical Cannabis: Albania creates government agency
In June 2023, the Albanian government legalized medical cannabis, despite fierce opposition in parliament which, however, resulted in a vote in favor of the particularly liberal law.
Albania now authorizes the cultivation, production, distribution and sale of medicinal cannabis as well as industrial hemp.
To implement this new law, a National Cannabis Control Agency was created, under the authority of the Ministry of Health. Its mission is to supervise, regulate and inspect the cultivation and processing of cannabis, as well as the production of its by-products for medical and industrial purposes.
The legalization of medical cannabis in Albania has surprised observers and specialists in the geopolitics of the Adriatic Sea region. Historically, the country pursued a very strict policy and zero tolerance towards drugs, both soft and hard.
Albania was once a major producer of illicit cannabis in Europe, and the government led intensive campaigns to eradicate its cultivation and combat drug trafficking. This change of position therefore marks a historic turnaround in national policy.
What does the new law on medical cannabis provide in Albania?
According to the text of the law passed in parliament, legal entities with at least three years of experience in the production, cultivation and distribution of cannabis for medical purposes can formulate a application to obtain a state license.
It is specified that these entities must have been involved in the production of cannabis by-products in one of the member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for at least five years, which de facto eliminates national structures, one of the most criticized points of the law.
The license can be granted for a period of 15 years with the possibility of renewal, subject to verification of compliance with the conditions necessary for obtaining it.
A law strongly criticized by the Albanian opposition
In parliament, the new law on medical cannabis has been the subject of severe criticism. Opposition MP Tritan Shehu explains, for example, that it is in total contradiction with the Penal Code and that it could facilitate drug trafficking.
Other MPs affirm that the only objective of the government in place is to encourage the establishment of foreign companies specializing in the production of cannabis and to garner additional tax revenue to the detriment of national security.
To know
In Albania, the total area allocated for the cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes cannot exceed 200 hectares throughout the national territory. In addition, the area allocated to each unit authorized to carry out activities related to medical cannabis cannot exceed 10 hectares.
