Legalization of cannabis around the world and in our country – in 2016

The year is not over yet, but in politics, almost nothing happens overnight, especially when it comes to serious and large-scale reforms, such as the legalization of cannabis. Let's take a look at what is happening around the globe with the prohibition of this much-discussed plant.

Good examples

Macedonia

We start with the country that, in addition to being the closest to us, surprised everyone with its bold decision to legalize medical weed. Many factors led Macedonia to this point. In addition to the fact that this is the region with an extremely suitable climate for growing the plant, their government currently has a pretty bad conscience and sins that it must somehow atone for by the next elections. The neighbors are torn apart by the so-called "Color Revolution", which is largely similar to our #DanceWithMe from 3 years ago and even brought a handful of young people from Macedonia to the streets for months. It is the young who are impressed by the reform of the VMRO-DPMNE government, which seemed to happen overnight and hastily, but many indications indicate that it was planned by the authorities at least a year or two earlier.

Every visitor to our beloved neighbor can now purchase CBD oil completely freely from pharmacies, with the price per package varying between 80 and 100 Bulgarian leva. The psychoactive oil (with over 0.2% THC) will be available to patients at the end of the month, and a special permit will be issued for it only by medical personnel and specialists.

The positive thing about the Macedonian law is that it allows the import and export of medical cannabis and products, which will open the door wide for quality imported medical products for patients on the one hand and will allow local businesses to start developing Macedonian ones for export. In addition to the oil, the development of various hemp-based products such as sprays, suppositories (rectal suppositories), lollipops, tinctures, etc. is expected, which will treat specific conditions much better.

The way the whole change happened in Macedonia is truly astonishing and a precedent in this part of the Balkans. Croatia and Slovenia have legalized medical weed, but only in words at this point, our southwestern neighbors, however, have come to the end. What is happening is a particularly strong slap in the face for the Bulgarian VMRO – the doyen of prohibition in Bulgaria, because it is thanks to the pressure of this party and its coalition partner from the NFSB, that Bulgaria officially believes that weed does not cure in any way, and that the medical miracles that the oil caused… are just placebos. It seems that their Macedonian namesakes are much more far-sighted politicians.

USA

The United States is on the verge of a historic turning point. It is true that the process of liberalizing the hemp plant has been going on for decades there, and that is wonderful, because it was from this country that prohibition began throughout the world, but recently we have really seen an acceleration and increase in the frequency of positive developments. In November, nine states will independently vote on liberalizing the regime in some form. Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota will decide whether to expand medical cannabis into their health systems, while California, Nevada, Arizona, Massachusetts and Maine are considering allowing all adult citizens access to the plant and its products. These are fateful elections for the nation, because they are expected to confirm what polls have shown for years - the majority of Americans support legalization . Currently, 24 states allow the use of weed for medicine. After November, more than 50% of states will have medical cannabis.

On November 9th, all eyes will be on California. If their Proposition 64 is passed, it would allow any resident over 21 to grow up to 6 plants and possess up to an ounce of dried flower. This is unlikely to change much in the Sunshine State. There has been a fairly liberal regime for access to medical cannabis there for decades. The vote in California is important and emblematic because it was the first state to dare to oppose federal prohibitionist policies and allowed patients access to a substance from the prohibited list back in 1996. In addition, it is the fifth largest economy in the world, even surpassing France. After the Colorado experiment turned out to be extremely successful, more and more economies are expected to show interest in the fastest-growing business in the world.

Italy

At the end of July this year, a bill was submitted to the Italian parliament that decriminalizes the cultivation and possession of cannabis inside and outside the home. In addition, the law also provides for the regulation of medical cannabis, as the cultivation of hemp for industrial purposes has been allowed for decades. Thus, if the deputies listen to their citizens, 70% of whom support the changes, Italy will surpass Spain and the Netherlands as a modern legislation in the field. Italian deputies are already openly declaring the drug policy conducted so far as a colossal failure and point out the need for a modern approach to solving the problems related to drug trafficking and trade

The bad ones

Bulgaria

Естествено, ще започнем с милата ни родина. Дори не защото сме най-интересните, а просто защото ако някой случаен западноевропеец или американец беше станал свидетел на изказванията на родните ни политици и медицински експерти, сигурно щяхме да му изглеждаме като героите от „Боговете сигурно са полудели“. Въпреки първия от десетилетие марш за легализация на марихуаната, който беше организиран от Liberty420, Промена, пациентски и браншови организации,  България затегна още повече режима за достъп до растението. Даже го направи в несъответствие с Единната конвенция по упойващите вещества на ООН от 1961-ва, която общо взето регламентира съвременния мракобесен режим.

Imagine that even a document written in the times when it was believed that accidental ingestion of weed could (for example) cause you to kill a person, allows the use of the plant for medical purposes, and our legislation no longer does. For reasons unknown to us, Bulgarian Health Minister Petar Moskov proposed amendments to the Law on Narcotic Substances and Precursors, deleting a point that would allow, if there is a relevant administrative procedure, to still allow the use of hemp “…for medical purposes and research”.

Of course, an army of obedient medical “experts” was immediately mobilized to defend this mysterious act in public. Phenomenal verbal exercises were heard on a topic that is clearly not the strength of any of the speakers. For example, an opinion was taken into account on whether the grass cures diseases and can it be used in medicine by… the Bulgarian Teachers’ Union. The Protestant commune BETHEL, the highly respected departments of psychiatry at the highest state universities in Pleven and Varna, and a number of consultants on state salaries who would sign and say that the earth is flat if they were ordered to do so. The MP from the Patriotic Front, a specialist in forensic accounting and a former teacher at the Technical School of Economics and Tourism in Velingrad, “taught us” from the people’s rostrum that the indisputable and documented alleviation of various conditions through cannabis is actually… a placebo.

Philippines

We have prepared an entire article about the Philippines and their Cretan policy towards addicts, which you can find here.

Russia

Our "favorite" in global drug policy also became a kind of leader and guide in the War on Drugs earlier this year. During the UN UNGASS emergency meeting, where the future of global prohibition was to be decided, Russia emerged as one pole around which countries gravitated, offering harsher punishments for addicts and traffickers.

It's just that after everything that's happening in the US and the legalization inside it, it's impossible for the Americans to continue their leading role in prohibition abroad and someone else has to take over. Of course, the power of the flesh, where they "treat" drug addiction by putting them in a coma and treating them with electroshock, cutting out parts of the brain, hypnosis, etc. would gladly maintain their obscurantist system on a global level. Congratulations to Russia...

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