Copenhagen votes to legalise marijuana

[kbutler]

This could be good news.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... juana.html

Marijuana could soon be legalised in Copenhagen, after the city voted overwhelmingly in favour of a scheme that would see the drug sold through a network of state-run shops and cafes.
The scheme, if approved by the Danish parliament at the start of next year, could make the city the first to fully legalise, rather than simply tolerate, marijuana consumption.
The drug is already sold openly on the streets of Christiania, a self-proclaimed 'free town' in the city centre, despite the closure of the neighbourhood's Amsterdam-style coffee shops in 2004.
But marijuana has never been officially decriminalised and those caught in possession of even small amounts face fines of up to £450.
"We are thinking of perhaps 30 to 40 public sales houses, where the people aren't interested in selling you more, they're interested in you," said Mikkel Warming, the Mayor in charge of Social Affairs at Copenhagen City Council. "Who is it better for youngsters to buy marijuana from? A drug pusher, who wants them to use more, who wants them to buy hard drugs, or a civil servant?"
The City Council voted on Thursday night, by a margin of 39 votes to nine, to empower Mr Warming's Social Affairs committee to draw up a detailed outline of how the plan would work.
The proposal will then be sent to to the Danish Parliament for approval early next year.
"We want to make it a little bit more concrete what kind of decriminalisation we want: should it be a public buying system, should there be an age limit?" Mr Warming explained.
He said he was opposed to instituting cannabis cafés, where marijuana use is tolerated, despite it remaining illegal to grow and import the drug.
This, he argued, would leave the revenues, which are estimated at £200m, in the control of the city's notorious biker gangs.
"We don't want an Amsterdam model. We want a way to make it legal to import or grow marijuana." he said.
Cannabis possession and production in the Netherlands are still technically punishable by fines. Its notorious coffee shops are also illegally but are tolerated.
The Danish parliament voted down a previous proposal submitted by Copenhagen City Council three years ago.

[sh@dy]

its being discussed here already:
https://www.coffeeshopdirect.com/forum/viewt ... 17&t=19352

[j-smoker]

dont think they can fully legalise it. would be against a un convention that nearly every major country signed up to. they would face a great deal of international pressure if they opted to fully legalise.

netherlands does not have the most open drug laws anyway. both portugal and czech republic have went further in setting in law amounts of drugs which are allowed for personal use without prosecution. However both these countries have made it very clear they do not wish to be the new amsterdam and will not allow a coffeshop scene to spring up in for example lisbon or praha (however there are unofficial coffeeshops in praha- but can be a bit of a lottery wether they will help you out or not).

a few years back mexican authorities seriuosly considered allowing coffeshops to open in resort towns such as cancun, thinking it would cut down on street dealing. US authorities put a lot of prssure on them not to go ahead. however the rise in cartel violence followed by the drug war killed off the idea.

[sh@dy]

yea, but you people forget, this is denmark.....their democracy is working much better than any other i`ve seen....lets just hope

[ed the head]

http://www.cphpost.dk/news/local/87-loc ... loser.html

“It’s better that the council distributes hashish and not criminals,” he said. “I hope we get the opportunity to try a new policy because we can’t just continue the current prohibition strategy with hash which is very outdated.”

[redeyezman]

http://www.cphpost.dk/news/local/87-loc ... loser.html

“It’s better that the council distributes hashish and not criminals,” he said. “I hope we get the opportunity to try a new policy because we can’t just continue the current prohibition strategy with hash which is very outdated.”

If this passes, and makes global news you heard it from ed first! Nice reporting follow up to your original other thread. Thanks for great info on progress. Lets hope they do the right thing.

[dconstrukt]

met some dude at a coffeeshop in the dam... he told me about christiana... sounded pretty awesome...

[ed the head]

http://www.cphpost.dk/news/local/52560- ... l-pot.html

"Cannabis users have a variety of reasons for supporting the City Council’s proposal to legalise the drug, but taken together, their arguments paint a picture of a society already largely tolerant of marijuana and users unafraid of punishment."

[sh@dy]

since I read this thread I cant stop thinking....its the first time I really see it happening, its a big chance that this will happen, the danish are a very smart nation.......the only thing to worry about is the EU and Uncle Sam...but with the only real full legal system of cannabis selling, they dont need to worry any sanctions.....tourists will come

[ed the head]

since I read this thread I cant stop thinking....its the first time I really see it happening, its a big chance that this will happen, the danish are a very smart nation.......the only thing to worry about is the EU and Uncle Sam...but with the only real full legal system of cannabis selling, they dont need to worry any sanctions.....tourists will come

Wouldn't it be nice if this was the start of a sensible cannabis policy proliferation? Who knows, I never thought
I would see the days of the likes of OWS either ... fingers crossed. I would definitely visit Copenhagen, and
probably any other city with the sensibility to make cannabis available legally.

[CannaSir]

Just think how many more people would smile wistfully upon hearing this song if it all came true?!

[Lion King]

Finally some politicians are started to talk sense. This could be a big oppurtunity for the city and solve a lot of the current problems. All the years of probihition has proved wrong. Legalize now!
A new thing here are places where the junkies can come and shoot the heroin fix in a clean invironment. I think its a good idea and the most humane way to threat these poor guys.
why cant normal people go to a cafe and smoke a joint?

[DazedandConfusedinOR]

Finally some politicians are started to talk sense. This could be a big oppurtunity for the city and solve a lot of the current problems. All the years of probihition has proved wrong. Legalize now!
A new thing here are places where the junkies can come and shoot the heroin fix in a clean invironment. I think its a good idea and the most humane way to threat these poor guys.
why cant normal people go to a cafe and smoke a joint?

Nice to see a local weigh in. It would be great to have another weed-friendly European destination to visit!

[ed the head]

Just think how many more people would smile wistfully upon hearing this song if it all came true?!

Video blocked in US

I found another video that plays in the US http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX2jTAC8uSE I wonder if a particular section of Copenhagen will be designated for cannabis shops?

[Lion King]

It is very weed friendly as it is now but if it was legal it would attract far more tourists whos spending money in state owned shops giving a boost to the danish economy. win- win situation for the cannabis users and the state