The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina has approved the legalisation of cannabis for medical purposes, marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to cannabis-based treatments.
The decision, adopted on 29 December 2025, establishes a regulated framework for medical cannabis that will provide patients with legal access to treatments previously only available through the grey market or abroad. Cannabis, cannabis resins, extracts and tinctures will be “shifted from a table of banned substances and herbs to a strict monitoring table, which opens the way for medical use”, a Council press release announced.
The move follows sustained pressure from parliamentarians, patients and medical professionals who have long argued for the therapeutic benefits of cannabis-based medicines.
Saša Magazinović, a member of the Social Democratic Party in the BiH Parliament, announced the decision on social media, describing it as the result of years of struggle against institutional obstacles.
“After years of struggle, obstruction, persistence… FINALLY!” Magazinović wrote. “The Council of Ministers has adopted a decision to legalise cannabis for medical purposes.”
He credited the early advocacy efforts, including parliamentary conferences where patients testified about the benefits of cannabis oil in treating serious illnesses, as crucial to building momentum for change.
“The first conference in Parliament that we organised and where we listened to the testimonies of people who have been helped by cannabis oil is going through my head,” Magazinović said. “There are tears in front of my eyes from the people who are listening to their cry for legalisation of the drug. I remember all the meetings, visiting, lobbying, pleas, fights, ‘warnings’, messages from people in need… IT WAS WORTH IT.”
Magazinović expressed particular gratitude to Irfan Ribić, a student at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Sarajevo, who claimed to have treated multiple sclerosis with cannabis oil.
“Thanks a lot to Irfan Ribic, who was my driving force to get involved in the fight for legalisation of cannabis for medical purposes,” Magazinović said.
He also thanked Minister of Civil Affairs Dubravka Bošnjak for finding ways to overcome institutional blockages. “Thanks to Minister Dubravka Bosnjak, who found a way to get around the obstructions and suggest a decision,” he said.
The new legislation establishes strict controls over medical cannabis, including:
- Requirement for a doctor’s prescription and approval
- Mandatory record-keeping systems
- Regulation of production and distribution channels
- Restrictions on sales and storage
- Monitoring systems to ensure quality control
The implementation will be gradual, with authorities establishing licensing requirements and oversight mechanisms to ensure patient safety whilst preventing potential misuse. “Further amendments of by-laws to define conditions in more detail for medical substances application, i.e. use of complete medicines and preparations, rest within competence of the Agency for Medicines and the Entity health authorities,” the Council said.
Magazinović cautioned that whilst the decision marks a crucial milestone, significant work remains ahead.
“The most important step has been taken, but the devil is in the details,” he said. “We move on, but now it is much easier.”
The legalisation positions Bosnia and Herzegovina alongside 21 other European nations that have adopted medical cannabis programmes.
