Introductory note
The reply to this issue’s main question is quite complex. The key point is to examine the influence of WHO’s recommendations on cannabis reclassification on national, but also international policies. The reclassification put forward with the recommendations is interpreted differently, illustrated, among other things, in the activities of the Working Group for Developing Amendments to the Laws on Decriminalization, Legalization and Use of the Medical, Social and Financial Benefits of Cannabis, established by the Government of the Republic North Macedonia in the first half of 2021. Additionally, the different interpretations regarding the legalization problem are also reflected in the joint interests and disagreements between representatives from civil society organizations and business sector representatives in the working group. The establishment of such a group could be seen as a positive step in the context of society’s willingness to discuss related issues. However, such complex topics require a complex approach as well, one that would encompass consistently all relevant aspects. In this regard, we should be careful not to disregard the problem of focusing decriminalization exclusively on cannabis, instead of decriminalizing all drug use in general.
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