Ukraine Controlled Substance Laws

"The use of drugs or psychotropic substances (other than in public) is not treated as a criminal offence.

"Illegal production, purchasing, storage, transportation, shipment of drugs or psychotropic substances in small amounts not for selling purposes is an administrative offense and shall be punishable by a fine of 25 to 50 tax-free minimum incomes or community service for a period of 20 to 60 hours, or an administrative arrest for up to 15 days.

"Small, big and especially big amounts of drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors that are illegally trafficked are established by the MoH (MoH Order No. 188 of 01.08.2000 as amended).

"Any individual who voluntarily surrenders drugs or psychotropic substances that he or she has had in small quantities or which he or she has produced, manufactured,⁸ purchased, stored, transported or shipped without selling purposes shall be released from the administrative liability for such actions.

"In addition, the people aged between sixteen and eighteen years who have committed such administrative offences may be subject to other enforcement actions, such as warning or placing the minor offenders under the care of parents or guardians, or under the supervision of their teachers or labor collective upon their consent, as well as to other citizens at their request.

"Illegal manufacturing, purchasing, storage, transportation, shipment of drugs or psychotropic substances not for selling purposes in amounts exceeding the small ones stipulates the criminal liability. The maximum penalty for such criminal offences (if they are committed with the involvement of a minor and if the subject of such actions were drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues in especially big amounts) is the imprisonment for a term of 5 to 8 years.

"The same actions, if repeated or committed by group of persons upon their prior conspiracy; or a person who has previously committed any similar offences; or if these actions involved drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues in big amounts, shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of up to 3 years.

"If the amount of drugs or psychotropic substances is less than big, but more than small, the offence shall be punishable by a fine of 1000 to 3000 tax-free minimum incomes, or correctional labor for a term up to 2 years, or arrest for a term up to 6 months, or restraint of liberty for a term up to 5 years (the liability was strengthened due to the amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine introduced by Law of Ukraine No. 2617-VIII of 22.11.2018, which entered into force on 1 July 2020). A person, who voluntarily applied to a treatment facility and began the treatment of drug addiction, shall be discharged from the criminal liability for such actions.

"At the same time, the illegal production, manufacture, purchasing, storage, transportation or shipment for selling purposes of drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of 4 to 12 years."