From the Wall Street Journal today we learn that the Czech Republic is to join the growing list of countries decriminalising adult personal possession and use of small quantities of cannabis, and in the Czech case various other plant based drugs:
The interim Czech government, led by chief statistician-turned-Prime Minister Jan Fischer, Monday took another step towards making casual marijuana smoking a worry-free affair.
Fischer’s cabinet defined what constitutes “small amounts” of cannabis for personal use, clarifying the country’s new penal code that from next year decriminalizes cultivation and possession of the plant by individuals.
As of Jan. 1 ordinary Czechs can grow up to five marijuana plants or have several marijuana cigarettes in their pockets without fear of criminal prosecution. Previously what constituted a small amount was not specified and the police and courts loosely interpreted the penal code case by case, often resulting in incarceration of home growers.
- Full story from the WSJ
- See story on the decision from Czech news agency CTK.
1 comment:
What's happening in the Czech Republic is a far more significant than simply allowing home growers to have five plants.
The Czech government has set for specific amounts for decriminalized personal possession of all drugs (and the amounts are much more realistic than the piddly small amounts the Mexicans allowed).
See the Prague Monitor for further detail.
This is a major step in policy change in an old school European country and I would have thought that Transform would have had one of the more informative blog posts on this development
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