ARUC warns sale of synthetic, semi-synthetic cannabinoids subject to drug trafficking charges

The Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) has formally notified commercial shops selling cannabis related items about new legislative amendments that prohibit synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids. 

These substances, which are designed to emulate or replicate the psychoactive effects of cannabis, are now subject to strict legal penalties. 

In 2024, Malta banned the sale of HHC and 14 other synthetic cannabinoids in a similar crackdown on synthetic cannabinoids.

According to a letter issued by ARUC, the newest amendments classify the prohibited substances as narcotic drugs. The reclassification carries more legal weight, as dealing in such substances now constitutes drug trafficking. 

The authority highlighted its extended enforcement authority, which now includes the capacity to introduce binding regulatory measures on cannabis-related commercial activity. 

ARUC states it will be adopting a zero-tolerance approach, and anyone in breach of the law will face criminal proceedings.

The letter contains a direct warning to establishments that may currently stock or distribute any product falling within the newly prohibited category. They are formally warned to “cease all such activities immediately and to take urgent steps to regularise their legal position.”