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Türkiye's ruling Development and Justice Party (AK Party) has submitted a comprehensive healthcare reform bill to parliament that would authorize the sale of medical cannabis products in pharmacies for the first time.
The 29-article legislative proposal, formally titled "Bill on Amendments to Certain Health-Related Laws and Decree Law No. 663," was presented to the Turkish Grand National Assembly this week, according to AK Party Deputy Group Chairman Leyla Sahin Usta.
Speaking at a press conference in parliament, Usta outlined the bill's framework for regulating medical cannabis cultivation, processing, and distribution.
The legislation would establish a controlled system for domestically produced medical cannabis products while maintaining strict oversight mechanisms.
"The scope of cannabis cultivation for obtaining active pharmaceutical ingredients is being expanded to include cannabis cultivation for medical products, health and support products, and personal care products, considering the benefits of cannabis in the health field worldwide," Usta said during the briefing.
The proposed legislation divides regulatory responsibilities between two ministries. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry would oversee cannabis cultivation and harvesting, while the Ministry of Health would manage processing, preparation, export, licensing, registration procedures, permits, and sales of medical cannabis products.
Under the bill's provisions, medical cannabis products would be sold exclusively through pharmacies to ensure proper control and security. The products would also be monitored through an electronic tracking system to maintain supply chain integrity.
"Control and security will be ensured in this way," Usta explained. "They will also be tracked through the electronic tracking system."
The legislation extends beyond cannabis regulation to include broader healthcare provisions.
Special medical foods would be subject to mandatory reporting through the pharmaceutical tracking system due to their potential public health impacts, aimed at protecting the supply chain.
Under existing Turkish law, Cannabidiol (CBD) occupies a legal gray area where it is neither explicitly legal nor illegal.
However, any CBD products containing traces of THC are considered illegal under Türkiye's zero-tolerance policy for psychoactive substances.
Currently, only certain medical CBD products like Sativex are available through red prescriptions issued by authorized physicians for specific conditions.
Hemp oil derived from seeds is freely available for sale, but broader CBD possession could potentially lead to legal issues.
The proposed legislation would mark the first comprehensive legal pathway for cannabis-derived products in Türkiye's modern regulatory framework.
The bill represents a significant shift in Türkiye's approach to cannabis regulation, acknowledging the plant's dual nature as both a controlled substance and a source of medical compounds.
Usta noted that, while cannabis serves as a raw material for narcotics, it is also utilized in healthcare applications globally.
The comprehensive nature of the 29-article bill suggests the AK Party is positioning the medical cannabis provisions within a broader healthcare reform initiative.
The legislation aims to meet domestic demand for cannabis raw materials through controlled domestic production while enhancing competitiveness in health services.
If passed, Türkiye would join a growing number of countries that have established regulated medical cannabis programs, though the pharmacy-only distribution model represents a more restrictive approach than some international frameworks.
The bill now awaits parliamentary review and debate before potentially becoming law.
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