Russian Government Permits MSU to Cultivate Narcotic-Containing Plants for Scientific and Educational Purposes
The Russian government has granted Moscow State University (MSU) permission to cultivate plants containing narcotic substances for scientific research, educational purposes, and expert activities. This decision was made official by a decree signed by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The document was published on Monday on the official legal information portal.
Key Changes in Legislation
The new decree amends the previous government resolution No. 181 from March 21, 2011. Previously, the import and export of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and their precursors—especially those listed in Schedules I and II, which are prohibited or restricted in Russia—could only be carried out by state unitary enterprises with the appropriate licenses for handling these substances and cultivating narcotic-containing plants.
With the updated regulation, Moscow State University, as a federal state-funded institution of higher education, is now authorized to import, export, and cultivate narcotic-containing plants. This is specifically for use in scientific research, educational activities, and expert analysis.