Uzbekistan legalizes hemp

 Uzbekistan has legalized industrial hemp through an amendment to the its law on March 17, signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

«A legal entity, having obtained a license, will be able to cultivate, import and export, process, store, sell (distribute), acquire and transport cannabis with a tetrahydrocannabinol content of up to 0.2%,» says the release.

Hemp must be used for industrial purposes, not related to the production or manufacture of narcotics or psychotropic substances.

The Cabinet of Ministers should now determine the varieties of hemp authorized for cultivation, as well as the conditions for their cultivation and processing, and the procedure for issuing licenses for this type of activity.

Cannabis use is severely repressed in Uzbekistan. Any «involvement in use» is punishable by three years' community service or three years' imprisonment. If more than one person is involved, the sentence can be increased by a further 6 months to 5 years' imprisonment. The sale of cannabis is punishable by 10 to 20 years' imprisonment.

Cannabis can theoretically be grown here by state-owned and scientific enterprises. The country does not have a medical cannabis program, but the law permits it if it complies with the regulations laid down by the Ministry of Health. Treatments can be dispensed in pharmacies or therapeutic establishments, provided these places hold the appropriate licenses.