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Tengrinews.kz – Kazakhstan will allow the production of hemp for industrial purposes. The corresponding draft law was approved by the Mazhilis today in its first reading.
During the discussion of the amendments, Mazhilis deputy Nikita Shatalov asked how the Ministry of Internal Affairs would monitor the circulation of industrial hemp and whether its cultivation might lead to the emergence of a new, cheap drug.
Acting Minister of Internal Affairs Sanzhar Adilov replied that the Ministry would oversee the entire process — from production to final distribution.
“It’s important to clearly distinguish: industrial hemp contains extremely low amounts of the intoxicating substance tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Genetically, it is different from marijuana (...) Industrial hemp virtually contains no THC. If we are talking about cultivation for industrial purposes, this type of hemp has no psychoactive components,” Adilov said during the Mazhilis plenary session.
In a follow-up, it was clarified whether this might be seen as partial legalization of cannabis and what motivated the current amendments.
According to Adilov, on February 19, during an investment council meeting, the government tasked the Ministry of Internal Affairs with developing legislative amendments to support the cannabis industry. The amendments have been coordinated with MPs and the Ministry of Agriculture.
“I’d like to separate fact from fiction: this is primarily about the industrial production of hemp. Industrial production is currently not prohibited under the law if THC content is zero. The Committee for Countering Drug Trafficking has issued four licenses to entrepreneurs. I should note that under the legal framework we are discussing, THC levels range from 0.1% to 0.3%. This will later be formalized through legal regulations. Industrial hemp contains virtually no intoxicating substances,” the acting minister explained.
The police official stressed that such hemp would be of no interest to individuals who use or sell drugs.
