Parliament on Thursday approved an amendment to the law on narcotic drugs that, among other things, eliminates cannabidiol (CBD) from the list of psychotropic substances. The amendment was sponsored by the Health Ministry, which argued that CBD is not included in UN conventions and that Slovakia is the only country in the EU that considers it to be a psychotropic substance. The list will at the same time be extended with a total of 11 new substances based on a decision approved by a commission of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. The Health Ministry claimed that it expects the decision to scratch CBD from the list to have a positive impact on business in the cosmetics industry, stating that it could lead to increasing employment, as products that consist of CBD will not be treated as monitored substances. This will facilitate their production, marketing, distribution and sale. The amendment is expected to enter into force on May 1.
Source: TASR
