Marijuana needs to be decriminalized and we are already late in finalizing the legislation for production and distribution of cannabis oil for medical purposes for which there is clear professional medical support. However, the decision to create legal preconditions for the commercial sale of marijuana should not be made hastily and that debate should be conducted in professional, not political circles, President Stevo Pendarovski said in an interview with Deutsche Welle, when asked about his position on the broader economic package, which Prime Minister Zaev believes will revive the domestic economy, including the legalization of marijuana.

He explains that some time ago the Prime Minister introduced him to some of those projects and together they concluded that some of them can be potentially risky in case there is no wider support from the professional public and understanding from the citizens.

My view is that marijuana should be decriminalized because for decades we have focused with the same intensity on punishing those who use drugs for personal needs and those who distribute them. I also think that we are already late in finalizing the legislation for production and distribution of cannabis oil for medical purposes for which there is clear professional medical support. However, I have a personal reservation towards the creation of legal preconditions for the commercial sale of marijuana and I believe that, firstly, the decision should not be made hastily and secondly, that this debate should be conducted in professional and not in political circles. At the same time, the most important thing in the analysis is not only to calculate the economic profit, but also the possible consequences for the health of young people, as well as the possibility to open the door for easier entry of international drug cartels in our country, said President Pendarovski.