Russia may legalise cannabis for industrial use
September 23rd, 2011 - 8:29 pm ICT by IANSMoscow, Sep 23 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russia may soon authorise the cultivation of cannabis for industrial needs, Russia’s Federal Drug Control Service said Friday.
On Sep 28, the country’s State Anti-drug Committee will decide whether to allow the cultivation of hemp, currently prohibited in Russia.
Russia was a world leading producer of hemp, used as a source of oil, food, fibers, and industrial materials, until 1961 when the Soviet Union ratified the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs which declared cannabis - along with heroin - a highly toxic narcotic.
Russia is currently one of the world’s biggest importers of hemp fibers and oil, the country’s drug control watchdog said in a statement.
In 2007, the government relaxed legislation on the planting of hemp.
Russia is estimated to have at least one million hectares of illegal cannabis, planted mainly on the fringes of the country, in the Far East and Black Sea region. About 2,000 hectares are used to grow hemp, an anti-drug official said.
The official said that a revival of hemp’s industrial usage will help “to create new jobs and reduce social tensions in the regions, which are abundant with illegal wild cannabis”.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
rd
- Russia bans drug addicts from working in harmful areas - May 24, 2011
- Russian narcotics market worth over $8 bn - Mar 24, 2012
- 17 cocaine labs destroyed in Colombia - Jan 26, 2012
- Russia leader wants pot, prostitution made legal - Jan 20, 2012
- Bolivian president asks UN to support coca farming - Mar 13, 2012
- Drug users may face jail under new Russian bill - Mar 20, 2012
- Russian schools may launch mandatory drug tests - May 17, 2011
- Himachal women on mission to uproot cannabis (Feature) - Jul 12, 2011
- Russia has five mn drug users: Official - Dec 20, 2011
- Russia concerned over US plans to keep Afghan bases - Apr 20, 2012
- Russia to introduce drug tests for students - Feb 17, 2011
- India among top drugs hotspots: UN report (Lead) - Mar 02, 2011
- Medvedev wants drug treatment for drug abusers - Apr 19, 2011
- Russian found with radioactive car - Apr 10, 2012
- Unknown disease destroys opium crops in Afghanistan - May 13, 2010
Tags: black sea, convention on narcotic drugs, drug committee, food fibers, fringes, hectares, hemp fibers, heroin, importers, industrial materials, new jobs, one million, revival, ria novosti russia, russia russia, s industrial, sea region, social tensions, soviet union, watchdog