CZECH GOVERNMENT REGULATES CULTIVATION OF PSYCHOACTIVE PLANTS FOR PERSONAL USE

The Czech government today approved the list of hallucinogenic plants and mushrooms, including hemp, coca, mescaline cactus and magic mushrooms, and decided that people would be allowed to grow up to five pieces of such plants and keep 40 magic mushrooms at home, a CTK source said.

The cabinet was today also expected to discuss artificial drugs and a permitted amount of these drugs in people’s possession.

However, it postponed the debate for two weeks, the source said.

The new Penal Code, which will take effect on January 1, is designed to specify the government’s directive. It contains a special provision on the growth of hemp and magic mushrooms.

The government today also approved a directive on the use of anabolics and the list of diseases that will be considered congenial, according to the criminal law.

The law distinguishes between the possession of marijuana and hashish for people’s personal needs, for which they will face up to one year in prison, from the possession of other drugs for which they can receive up to two years in prison.

According to the Justice Ministry’s proposal that the government did not approve today, the possession of over 15 grammes of dried marijuana or over two grammes of methamphetamine (pervitine), cocaine and heroin will be punishable.

The tolerated amount of drugs in people’s possession is at present defined by police internal directives. No one thus knows precisely what amount is considered an amount "larger than a small amount of drug," the possession of which is punishable by the law.

If the government approves the ministry’s proposal without changes in two weeks, people will be able to have four pills of ecstasy in their possession and up to five grammes of hashish.