Legalise It, Tax It, Enjoy It

Did you know that cannabis is one of the oldest cultivated plants on Earth? It has been used by humans for thousands of years, in medicine, textiles, rituals and more. Yet, its current legal status and availability varies across countries. But change is coming! Canada, Thailand and Uruguay are some of the countries that have legalised cannabis in recent years. It’s high time for Europe to catch up!

55% of Europeans support legalising cannabis for adults. This is hardly a surprise. The problems created by Europe’s current policies are many. People who need medical cannabis to treat pain and stress cannot access it. Illegal markets lead to thriving criminal groups, lack of quality and age control, as well as loss of potential tax revenue. Racial profiling of users by the police shows that we are not equal before the law. Stigmatisation leads to lack of adequate care for those with addiction problems. There are many reasons for Europe to embrace a 21st century approach to cannabis. Alcohol is not banned. Why should cannabis be?

Fortunately, solutions exist. Decriminalisation and legalisation for adults would solve the problems listed above. Public, accessible substance abuse centers help those with problems. Better education on the use of cannabis and its side effects is needed for people of all ages. By investing in scientific research on cannabis, we will learn how to harvest its positive effects while minimising the unwanted ones. Harm reduction is a political choice.

We therefore call upon all EU governments to decriminalise cannabis for adult use and begin the legalisation and regulation of the sale of cannabis.