The Ministry of Internal Affairs approved the criteria for blocking sites for mentioning drugs

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia has approved four criteria for evaluating drug information online, according to which the relevant resources will be included in the register of banned sites. The order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is published on the official Internet portal legal information. The decree will come into force on September 1, 2023.

Criteria approved by the department:

• information containing a description of the procedure for the manufacture and use of narcotic or psychotropic substances. At the same time, works of art “in which information is described that is justified by their genre” do not fall under the criterion;
• information on the creation of special conditions for growing plants containing narcotic or psychotropic substances;
• information about the places of illegal “cultivation of the relevant plants, as well as their wild growth”;
• information about the places of illegal acquisition, prices and methods of obtaining.

Meanwhile, Rospotrebnadzor approved criteria for evaluating sites and pages that disseminate information about suicide. They may also be included in the register of prohibited information.

Among the criteria:

• information on how to commit suicide;
• a description of the conditions necessary for suicide;
• suggestions/orders/requests to commit suicide;
• an indication of suicide “as a way to solve the problem”;
• a positive assessment of committing suicide;
• making fun of a failed suicide attempt;
• announcement of an acquaintance with the intent to commit suicide;
• survey / test / rating on the choice of the method of committing suicide.

The decree also comes into force on September 1, 2023.

Lusine Balasyan