Romanian Parliament proposal seeks to decriminalize personal drug possession

A new legislative proposal in the Romanian Parliament seeks to decriminalize the possession of drugs for personal use, reclassifying it from a criminal offense to an administrative contravention. Introduced by Senator Victoria Stoiciu and supported by Senators Cristian Ghinea and Daniel Fenechiu, the initiative aims to replace criminal liability with fines and, in certain cases, medical assistance or evaluation.

Under the proposal, fines for possessing risk drugs would range between 1,000 and 1,500 lei, while high-risk drugs would incur fines between 1,500 and 3,000 lei. The project also proposes removing the criminal penalty for crossing borders with drugs intended for personal use. The initiative emphasizes that drugs would not be legalized and that trafficking would remain a criminal offense. Revenue from fines would be directed toward national prevention programs and medical or psychological assistance.

The proposal has faced opposition from PSD Vice-President Corneliu Ștefan, who described the initiative as unacceptable. Ștefan argued that Romania requires stricter legislation rather than decriminalization, stating that the state must prioritize fighting traffickers and protecting youth rather than signaling increased societal tolerance toward drug use.