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State Duma passes law banning references to drugs in literature, cinematography

The law on the propaganda does not apply to sectoral medical and pharmaceutical publications that contain information on narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors intended for medical use, scientific and educational publications, including audiovisual works that do not contain information on the accessibility, attractiveness or necessity of the illegal use of drugs

MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. Deputies of the Russian parliament’s lower house, the State Duma, passed on Tuesday during their plenary session in the third and final reading a draft law on the prohibition of drug propaganda, including in the media sphere and on the Internet, as well as any mention of drugs in literature and cinematography.

According to the draft law, works of literature and art in which narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues or precursors, drug-containing plants "are an integral part of the artistic concept justified by the genre" will not be considered drug propaganda.

At the same time, they should not contain any information about the accessibility, attractiveness or necessity of their illegal use, about any advantages of the illicit use of drugs, about committing other illegal actions in relation to narcotics, psychotropic substances, their analogues and precursors, drug-containing plants "by justifying or portraying them as generally accepted norms of behavior."

The law on the propaganda does not apply to sectoral medical and pharmaceutical publications that contain information on narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors intended for medical use, scientific and educational publications, including audiovisual works that do not contain information on the accessibility, attractiveness or necessity of the illegal use of drugs.

The law is part of a package of initiatives aimed at banning propaganda of illegal drug trafficking and consumption. Relevant amendments will be introduced to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

The amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation at the issue are slated to come into force starting September 1, 2025.

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Russia's domestic policy

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