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Lithuania marijuana – Status 2023/2024
Lithuania, although it joined the European Union in 2004, was for many years the only country in the EU to criminalize even the cultivation of hemp – a non-psychoactive variety of the plant. It was not until 2013 that the country aligned its policy with the rest of the Union and allowed local farmers to grow hemp. According to the current law, hemp is a plant containing less than 0,2% THC – a chemical that gives hemp its characteristic “high” effect. The law also allows the sale of products made from hemp, but only if they do not contain THC. In this entry, we will present the status of marijuana in Lithuania, what about CBD products, seeds, medical marijuana, and whether work is underway on the shape of the Lithuanian law on cannabis.
What about CBD oil? What is the status of marijuana seeds in Lithuania?
Marijuana in Lithuania is treated very strictly.
This means that technically, some pure CBD oils may now be legal in the country, but due to its zero tolerance to THC, their availability is limited and the popular CBD drug is largely unavailable in Lithuania. Even cannabis seeds – that do not contain banned substances or only contain them in trace amounts – cannot be found in local stores.
At the same time, there is a growing community of amateur marijuana growers in the country who buy seeds from other countries. In September 2021, German police confiscated a shipment containing 200 kilograms of seeds that was being sent from the US to Lithuania. This batch of seeds could be used to grow cannabis in the area of over 300 football pitches, with a market value of around €2 billion.
What about Lithuanians wanting to use medical marijuana?
As you can read on https://www.baltictimes.com/ Another aspect of cannabis policy reform is the recognition of the existence of a significant group of patients who could benefit from cannabis-based medicines. However, so far only a few European countries have recognized the medical potential of this long-stigmatized plant and have begun creating medical marijuana programs.
Lithuania joined this trend in 2018 when parliament unanimously allowed doctors to prescribe cannabis to patients with certain medical conditions. This law was intended to help people suffering from cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other serious diseases. However, before prescribing a cannabis-based drug to patients, it is necessary to conduct research confirming its effectiveness in treating a given condition. So far, no patient in Lithuania has legal access to medical marijuana. As with other aspects of cannabis reform, the medical marijuana bill remains only a symbolic step, a declaration of intent with no practical implications.
Both policymakers and the public recognize that policies based on the rhetoric of the War on Drugs are outdated and require change. However, questions remain about what policies would make more sense, be consistent with civil rights, and would not pose a threat to public health.
Marijuana decriminalization in Lithuania
In our neighbors, the date of June 28, 2022 may start a significant change in the law, long-awaited by marijuana lovers. The Seym in Lithuania gave the green light to consider the amendments, which, if adopted, may mean the decriminalization of marijuana. Voting for further work already at the level of parliamentary committees could change the Lithuanian cannabis law. After the amendments were submitted, a vote was taken. 70 Sejm deputies voted for their adoption, 46 were against and 10 abstained from voting. The matter will be further discussed in parliamentary committees. To answer the question of what these amendments are, and in particular how they will affect the legal status of people with whom marijuana is found, it is necessary to look at the law already in force in Lithuania.
Marijuana in Lithuania
At the time of writing this article, the fact is that recreational marijuana remains illegal in Lithuania. However, similarly to Poland, Lithuanians can grow hemp for industrial purposes. This law was implemented in 2014. Interestingly, Lithuania remained a rarity in the European Union until then, because Lithuanians were the only ones in Europe who could not legally grow industrial hemp. In addition to "industrial hemp", our neighbors have legalized medical marijuana. The Lithuanian Seimas legalized MM in autumn 2018, and the distribution of the drug itself started in mid-2019. At least theoretically, because initially it was in vain to look for it in local pharmacies. [1]
Will marijuana for recreational use be legal in Lithuania now?
At present, it is impossible to answer the question unequivocally - whether lovers of recreational marijuana will stop being punished in Lithuania. Of course, the events of June 2022, i.e. work in committees in the Lithuanian Seimas, open the way to the liberalization of cannabis law. Processed the law provides for the decriminalization of the possession of small amounts of light drugs. Marijuana, of course, falls into this group.
Currently, possession of marijuana, even in small amounts, for personal use (not to mention the intention to sell it) is subject to criminal liability. After the change of the law, this liability will be "merely" administrative. It should also be noted that in Lithuania, the term "significant amount of marijuana" will have a clear definition, as it may be adopted in the guidelines placed in regulation of the Minister of Health.
What will still threaten Lithuanians for possessing a small amount of marijuana?
Work on the letter of the law regarding the possession of a small amount of narcotic substances assumes the penalty of admonition or fines in a cradle from 30 to 250 euros. If the act is repeated, the fine can range from 250 to even 400 euros. Confiscation of illegal substances found is a matter of course. If the guilty person reports to a health care center on his own to receive treatment there, he will be exempted from paying the fine. The same applies to the voluntary transfer of illicit substances to the relevant public authorities.
The enacted law also assumes that persons who commit offenses will be compulsorily directed to participate in courses or special didactic programs, the subject of which will mainly concern social rehabilitation, addiction prevention, health protection, and improving communication with children.
What do the oppositionists of the trial hemp law say?
As usual, everyone can have an opinion and this is no different. The Lithuanian parliament listened to unfavorable voices regarding the law under trial. They tried to show that the law would fail to curb drug use. Concerns were expressed that the intention of this act, which aims to decriminalize the possession of small narcotic substances (including marijuana), may consequently negatively affect the society, which will become more eager to reach for prohibited substances. This in turn can translate into an increase in mental problems, especially among young people. These arguments were to be supported by data collected in the United Nations World Report on Drugs.
Enthusiasts of the lawsuits cited the words of the former Minister of Health of Lithuania, Aurelijus Veryga, who, when medical marijuana was legalized, expressed his approval for decriminalization, arguing that the addict should be treated and not punished.
We will keep a close eye on what our neighbors are doing. We deeply hope that soon a similar, if not more liberal, law will be enacted in our country.
[1] https://www.polsatnews.pl/wiadomosc/2018-10-11/medyczna-marihuana-legalna-na-litwie-od-roku-jest-dostepna-w-polsce/[2]https://wilno.tvp.pl/60991235/litwa-parlament-rozwazy-dekryminalizacje-posiadania-marihuany[3]https://wiadomosci.wp.pl/litwa-medyczna-marihuana-zalegalizowana-6304826855671425a
If you liked the post “Marijuana in Lithuania”, leave a comment below. Follow us on Facebook (click) and Instagram (click) to stay up to date. At the same time, we would like to inform you that this entry is not legal advice - it is written only as a curiosity. For official information describing the legal aspects of marijuana in Lithuania and cannabis products produced from cannabis, please refer to the official Lithuanian legislation.
Disclaimer
WARNING! In Poland, the law prohibits the cultivation of hemp other than fibrous. This post is not intended to encourage you to break the law. All content related to the cultivation and processing of marijuana is for educational and curiosity purposes only. Currently, more and more countries in the world allow their citizens to grow a marijuana bush for their own use, but Poland is not one of these countries yet.
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May this change as soon as possible – also in Poland.
Plant smoke legalize !!!
May this change as soon as possible – also in Poland.
Plant smoke legalize !!!