Cannabis in Lithuania explained

Cannabis in Lithuania is criminalized for both recreational and medical use. Lithuania criminalized cannabis in 2017 and is the only country in the world that criminalized cannabis in the 21st century.[1] Until 2013 Lithuania was the only country in the European Union where the cultivation of industrial hemp was banned.

Medical Cannabis

The use of cannabis for medical purposes is criminalized in Lithuania.

Industrial hemp

In 2013 the Government of the Lithuania has decided to lift the ban on industrial hemp. Until 2013 Lithuania was the only country in the European Union which prohibited the cultivation of industrial hemp and until 2021 hemp products containing any amount of THC were considered illegal. Since November 2021 the production and sale of hemp products was allowed if the amount of THC in the products did not exceed 0.2 percent.[2] THC limit was increased to 0.3 percent in 2022.[3]

Synthetic Cannabinoids

A law allowing prescription drugs containing synthetic cannabinoids for medical use was approved by the Seimas on 11 October 2018, with an effective date of 1 May 2019.[4] As of the effective date no such drugs were available in pharmacies, however.[5]

420 protest

In 2016 protestors planning an April 20th event at Parliament were targeted by the Prosecutor General's Office, which believed that permitting the event might "violate the public interest".[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Timeline of Cannabis Law . Wikipedia.
  2. Web site: BNS . More hemp produce to become legal in Lithuania . lrt.lt . 10 June 2021 . 7 October 2021.
  3. Web site: Balčiūnaitė . Sniegė . 22 December 2022 . Seimas leido auginti daugiau pluoštinių kanapių . 22 December 2022.
  4. Web site: Andrius . Kulikauskas . 11 January 2019 . Kas yra medicininės kanapės ir kodėl Lietuvoje jos nėra įteisintos . 11 January 2019 . lt.
  5. News: Jackūnaitė . Kristina . Vaistų iš kanapių kol kas nebus: ministerija kaltinama abejingumu . 18 May 2019 . lrt.lt . 20 April 2019.
  6. Web site: Cannabis activists to gather in Vilnius . . 31 March 2016 . 11 December 2016.