Voted by Moldovan parliament: tougher penalties, prison for promoting illegal substances on social media

People who promote or sell drugs through social networks and other online platforms will face prison sentences of up to 12 years, while penalties for involving minors in drug-related offenses will be increased. The parliament has adopted, in the second reading, a draft law that tightens the legal framework for combating the trafficking and use of illegal substances.

The legislative initiative, developed by the Interior Ministry (MAI), introduces additional measures to prevent and combat the illegal circulation of drugs, ethnobotanical products and analogues of narcotic or psychotropic substances, in the context of increased consumption and diversification of distribution methods.

One of the main changes concerns the increase of penalties for people who involve minors in drug-related activities. Thus, the sanction for involving children in the illegal circulation of prohibited substances or in the organization and maintenance of premises meant for drug use will increase from 3–7 years to 5–8 years in prison.

Another new element is the criminalization of the use of digital platforms for the promotion, facilitation or sale of drugs. The law provides for differentiated penalties depending on the seriousness of the acts.

Thus, promoting and facilitating drug use through social networks, messaging applications, web portals or other digital means will be punishable by imprisonment from 2 to 4 years. For offering, delivering or distributing illegal substances via these channels, the penalty will be from 4 to 7 years in prison.

If the offenses are committed by more persons or through the use of official duties, the sanction will range between 7 and 10 years in prison, and in the case of criminal groups or organizations, the punishment will reach 10–12 years of imprisonment.

At the same time, in certain situations, penalties may also be applied to legal entities, including fines, bans on conducting business activities or even their dissolution.

The draft also amends the Contravention Code by strengthening the sanctioning mechanisms for the illegal purchase or possession of small quantities of drugs, the use of substances without medical prescription, and the failure to comply with protection measures for crops of plants containing drugs, precursors or their analogues.

At the same time, the list of prohibited substances will be expanded by including new types of synthetic drugs, ethnobotanicals, substitutes and precursors, in order to respond to the emergence of new substances used on the illegal market.

According to data presented in the explanatory note, during the period 2019–2025, 7,106 crimes and 20,044 contraventions related to drugs were recorded. The statistics also show an increase in the circulation of synthetic drugs, such as PVP, MDMA and mephedrone, as well as cocaine.

The new legislative provisions will enter into force on August 28, 2026 and, according to the authorities, they aim to adapt the legislation to the new operating methods of drug trafficking networks, especially in the online environment.