TIRANA, Oct. 2 /ATA/ – The government has approved new rules for overseeing licensed cannabis activities and the production of cannabis-derived products for medical and industrial use in Albania, including unannounced inspections and electronic monitoring.
The National Cannabis Control Agency will oversee the entire production chain, from seed imports and cultivation to processing, storage, transport, export and disposal.
Inspections will be based on risk assessments, registry data, operator reports and compliance records. Unannounced checks may be conducted in cases of suspected violations, discrepancies in registered quantities, missing reports or security incidents.
Monitoring may be carried out on-site or remotely using electronic systems, security cameras, sensors, drones and satellite imagery. Authorised inspectors may access production facilities, examine documents and electronic systems, record images and collect samples for analysis. Police assistance may be requested if inspections are obstructed.
The agency will review licence and permit conditions at least every three years and may propose suspension or revocation if operators fail to meet requirements or implement corrective measures.
Operators must notify the agency at least 15 days before harvesting, while harvested material must be registered and verified before it can be dried, processed, sold or exported.
For industrial cannabis, a batch will be considered non-compliant if its measured THC level, including the upper uncertainty limit, exceeds 0.8%.
The rules also provide for temporary seizure or confiscation of cannabis that is unlicensed, untraceable or otherwise non-compliant. Transport and exports will be subject to security, documentation and traceability requirements.
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