MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. Lawmakers of the Russian parliament’s lower house, the State Duma, passed at its plenary session a law introducing criminal penalties for spreading drug propaganda on the Internet for anyone who already has a drug record.

The law stipulates a maximum penalty of two years behind bars and is a 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.

Therefore, Article 230.3 (propaganda of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogs or precursors, plants containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or their precursors) will be introduced to the Criminal Code.

The new provision in the Criminal Code will be applied to cases when such propaganda was circulated via the Internet by a person who has previously been found guilty of a similar act twice within the span of one year or by a person who has a criminal history of such offenses.

The punishment envisaged by the new Article stipulates a fine of up to 300,000 rubles (some $3,440), or compulsory, corrective or obligatory work for a period of up to two years, or imprisonment for the same amount of time.

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