It is not right for someone to go to prison for using half a gram of cannabis, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said, announcing a debate on legalization of cannabis in 2021.

At Monday’s press conference, where he presented the projects and programs of the government “Action 21” initiative, Zaev said that we bring world and European standards at home also through the cannabis growing industry for medical purposes and for the production of products from this herb.

Cannabis is one of the most dynamic industries in the world and the government’s policy is not only to recommend these experiences, but also to further support the companies entering this business which in our country already creates thousands of well-paid jobs. And the experiences of other countries such as Canada, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic show that these countries earn about 55 billion dollars a year from this business, said Zaev.

He added that 59 licenses have been approved for cannabis business in Macedonia so far, and the Government is in communication with the representatives of the companies in order for this industry to develop in accordance with world trends and European regulations.