Parliament passes law introducing harsher penalties for online drug promotion
Social networks and messaging apps will no longer provide a safe space for individuals selling or promoting illegal substances. Starting at the end of August, any drug-related activities conducted online will face harsher penalties. This decision follows a vote by deputies on July 30th regarding significant amendments to the Penal Code.
Among the key adjustments approved in the final reading is the increase in penalties for individuals who involve minors in the illegal circulation of drugs or in the organization of consumption spaces. Consequently, the prison sentence for these offenses has been raised from a range of three to seven years to a new range of five to eight years.
The new provisions also introduce sanctions for the use of social networks, messaging applications, web portals, or other digital means to promote, facilitate, or market prohibited substances.
The penalties are structured as follows:
- Two to four years of imprisonment for promoting or facilitating drug use in a digital environment.
- Four to seven years of imprisonment for offering, delivering, or distributing prohibited substances online.
- Seven to ten years of imprisonment if the offenses are committed by multiple individuals or through the misuse of an official position.
- Ten to twelve years of imprisonment if the crimes are committed by criminal groups or organizations.
Additionally, legal entities involved in these activities may face significant fines, bans on certain operations, or even liquidation.
The draft also revises the norms of the Contravention Code concerning the illegal procurement or storage of drugs in small quantities, consumption without a medical prescription, and non-compliance with protection measures for drug-containing plant crops.
Furthermore, the list of prohibited substances will be expanded to include new types of synthetic and ethnobotanical drugs, as well as substitutes and precursors that have recently emerged in the market.
These amendments will come into effect on August 28, 2026.
According to statistical data, over 7,000 crimes and more than 20,000 contraventions related to drugs were recorded between 2019 and 2025, highlighting a significant increase in the circulation of synthetic substances such as PVP, MDMA, and mephedrone, as well as cocaine.
