North Macedonia withdraws a dozen medical cannabis licenses after 40 tons seized

The government of the Northern Macedonia has decided to act after seizing over 40 tonnes of cannabis originally intended for the medical market but allegedly diverted to illicit markets. The authorities launched a series of inspections targeting licensed producers, leading to multiple license withdrawals and an extensive survey of the sector.

These inspections are coordinated with several institutions, including the Ministry of the Interior, the French drug regulatory authority MALMED, as well as agricultural and health authorities.

The Minister of Health, Azir Aliu, confirmed that the government was examining all licensed operators as part of this review.

Dozens of licenses under investigation

This inspection campaign affects a sector that has grown considerably since the Northern Macedonia legalizes cannabis cultivation for medical purposes nearly ten years ago. Some sixty companies have obtained licenses since the system was set up, positioning the country as one of the leading players in the European supply chain of medical marijuana.

According to Ministry of Health, 43 companies currently hold a valid license to grow cannabis for medical use. At least 12 licenses have already been revoked, These include Alphapharm, Green Life, CBD Medplant, Life Plant, Ata Pharm, and Kanabi Dois.

Separate government announcements indicate that the revocations took place in stages. In February, the government revoked the licenses of six producers following extraordinary inspections that revealed compliance problems. At the beginning of March, a further six companies lost their licenses after new inspections revealed legal or regulatory shortcomings.

Government spokeswoman, Marija Miteva, said that the revocations had been carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health's supervisory commission, which is responsible for checking that companies comply with the strict requirements governing the medical cannabis production.

Seizures highlight system weaknesses

The intensification of inspections was triggered by a series of police operations across the region, which uncovered large volumes of diverted cannabis.

The authorities of Northern Macedonia indicate that more than 40 tons of cannabis were seized from several licensed producers after investigators determined that the product had been produced or stored outside established medical protocols. These findings have raised concerns about gaps in oversight and record-keeping within the regulated sector.

The problem has also spread across borders. Serbian police recently confiscated around five tons of cannabis in the north of Serbia, which prosecutors believe came from producers of Northern Macedonia.

These cases prompted the public prosecutor's office for organized crime to open an investigation into individuals suspected of organizing repeated shipments of cannabis from North Macedonia to Serbia for illegal sale.

In response to this scandal, the government headed by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has launched a wider campaign targeting drug trafficking and irregularities in the legal supply chain.

Officials say that consultations are currently underway with industry players and regulators in order to strengthening the legal framework for medical cannabis. The Ministry of Health has stated that the aim is to improve transparency and ensure that production for the medical market remains fully traceable.

Despite the ongoing crackdown, the authorities insist that the country remains determined to maintain a medical cannabis industry regulated. The Ministry stressed that current inspections are designed to ensure that the sector operates «legally, responsibly and transparently», while protecting the integrity of the public health system.