Europe: Czechs to Decriminalize Marijuana Possession, Growing Up to Three Plants
The Czech Republic will decriminalize the possession of up to 20 joints, a gram of hashish, or up to three marijuana plants, according to a report from the Czech news site iDNES. Under Czech law, possession of "more than a small amount of drugs" is a criminal offense punishable by up to five years in prison.
But Czechs are among the most prolific of European pot-smokers, and pressure has been mounting for years for an adjustment in the law. Now, the vague "more than a small amount" has been codified. Also included in the decrim measure is possession of up to a half-gram of methamphetamine.
"Several European countries have similar rules. It is good to say somewhere that you will not face prosecution for a single hemp plant," Viktor Mravčík, head of the Czech National Focal Point for Drugs and Drug Addiction, told iDNES.
This change in the Czech penal code will bring the law into line with prevailing practice. According to Czech police, who had issued their own limits on minor drug possession (which were ignored by the courts), only about one-fifth of people caught growing marijuana plants were prosecuted in 2006. The rest only paid fines.
"We already have our own criteria on what we consider a crime," Břetislav Brejcha, an officer at the national anti-drug headquarters NPDC, told iDNES. The police limits "are quite similar to the new regulation, therefore we don't mind it at all," Brejcha added.
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Comment posted by Giordano on Wed, 03/26/2008 - 12:23amThe Czech Republic should be congratulated for the example it sets for the rest of Europe and the World.
People with the guts to stand up and push the envelope of freedom against the Soviets (albeit resulting in the Warsaw Pact Invasion of 1968), only to win out in the Velvet Revolution in 1989, deserve credit as true freedom fighters.
The election of poet, writer and lifelong Frank Zappa fan, Vaclav Havel as president, established the sanctity of the Czech appreciation for a progressive and tolerant society guided by intelligent leaders. The Czechs brew the best Pilsner in the world. And Czech women are hot.
Standing up to the drug warriors should be a walk in the park for the Czechs after what the country has already been through with the Nazis and communists.
Giordano
The luxury of civilization
Comment posted by Malkavian on Tue, 03/25/2008 - 11:48amDrug prohibition is definitely a product of rich civilizations that are able to spend inordinate amounts of time, money and resources on something so completely un-threatening as drugs. Not to mention the vast losses to happiness and spiritual development. In a very strained economy where basic survival becomes the issue the WoD would be the first to lose budget, because ultimately it's based on unreality..
That said the Czech Republic is not a 3rd world country. It's an "old Communist country", old being the operative word. When I visited Pragh more than 5 years ago I found it almost indistiguishable from any other European country (having visited Great Britain, Germany, France, Norway and Holland too - and I'm a citizen of Denmark). It seemed to be a very modern nation, and the recent decriminalization has definitely hastened my return to this wonderful, civilized country :o)
The fact is that any country could realize wonderful benefits from declaring peace on the drugs. May no country experience things like The murder of Ashley ... http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/2998.html
I too would like to know more about the specific nature of the pressure that's beeing mounting for legalization in the Czech Republic. Maybe we could learn something from this succes?