With the new regulation published in the Official Gazette on July 24, 2025, the production, licensing, monitoring, and sale of medical, health, personal care, and support products derived from cannabis have been brought under a legal framework. The sale of these products is permitted exclusively through pharmacies, while licensing and registration procedures will be carried out by the Ministry of Health. The agricultural production process will fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In this way, both public health is protected and legal predictability is ensured within the sector. The regulation represents an important step in supporting Türkiye's entry into the cannabis-based product market.
With the publication of the Law Proposal on Amending Certain Laws Related to Health and Decree Law No. 6631, which was adopted by the General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM), in the Official Gazette on July 24, 2025, the production, licensing, monitoring, and sale of medical products, health products, personal care products, and support products derived from the cannabis plant have been brought under a detailed regulatory framework. The sale of these products in pharmacies has been made possible.2
Scope and Legal Basis of the New Regulation
As a result of the amendment made to Law No. 2313 on the Control of Narcotic Substances, which came into force upon publication in the Official Gazette, the processes for the licensing and monitoring of medical products, health products, and non-narcotic personal care and support products derived from cannabis have been placed under the authority of the Ministry of Health.
With the new legal regulation, institutional responsibilities in the process of placing cannabis-based products on the market have been clearly delineated. Within this framework, the agricultural production and harvesting of cannabis will be carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. However, the transformation of cannabis into products, its processing, preparation, exportation, licensing, registration, and sales permits will fall entirely within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health.
The regulation notably emphasizes that products derived from cannabis may only be offered to the public through authorized and supervised pharmacies. The licensing or registration of cannabis-based medical products, health products, personal care and support products into the tracking system will be carried out by the Ministry of Health; the sale of these products will be restricted exclusively to pharmacies. This approach aims to prevent the unauthorized, uncontrolled, and unsupervised sale of such products through retail or online channels, thereby ensuring both public health protection and product safety.
Conclusion
With the new regulation, the production, licensing, and distribution of medical products, health products, non-narcotic personal care and support products derived from the cannabis plant have been incorporated into the legislative framework and given an official structure. This allows for the protection of public health and enables actors operating in the sector to function with legal predictability. The regulation is also seen as an important step in supporting Türkiye's entry into the cannabis-based product market and in enhancing its international competitiveness.
References
28. Dönem 3. Yasama Yılı 113. Birleşim Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi Son Genel Kurul Tutanağı. (2025, 07 20). Retrieved from Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi: https://www.tbmm.gov.tr/Tutanaklar/SonTutanak
Meclis'ten geçti: Tıbbi kenevir eczanelerde satılabilecek. (2025, 07 21). Retrieved from Independent: https://www.indyturk.com/node/762168/haber/meclisten-ge%C3%A7ti-t%C4%B1bbi-kenevir-eczanelerde-sat%C4%B1labilecek
Öztürk, F. (2025, 07 21). Tıbbi kenevir teklifi yasalaştı: Süreç nasıl işleyecek? Retrieved from BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cgrx2kxd94lo
Sağlıkla İlgili Bazı Kanunlarda ve 663 Sayılı Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamede Değişiklik Yapılmasına Dair Kanun. (2025, 07 24). Retrieved from Resmi Gazete: https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2025/07/20250724-3.htm
Sağlıkla İlgili Bazı Kanunlarda ve 663 Sayılı Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamede Değişiklik Yapılmasına Dair Kanun Teklifi. (2025, 06 24). Retrieved from Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi: https://cdn.tbmm.gov.tr/KKBSPublicFile/D28/Y3/T2/WebOnergeMetni/aea0101e-27f4-4269-882c-009d8002e014.pdf
Footnotes
1 (Sağlıkla İlgili Bazı Kanunlarda ve 663 Sayılı Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamede Değişiklik Yapılmasına Dair Kanun Teklifi, 2025)
2 (Sağlıkla İlgili Bazı Kanunlarda ve 663 Sayılı Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamede Değişiklik Yapılmasına Dair Kanun, 2025)
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