Legal Regulation of Cannabis in Copenhagen

The City Council of Copenhagen voted for legalizing marijuana. Watch the new movie of the HCLU and find out why!

The international press reported in November last year that the City Council of Copenhagen voted overwhelmingly in favour of a legal regulation scheme for cannabis. The video advocacy team of the HCLU traveled to the Danish capital where we interviewed a couple of decision makers, including the members of the City Council, to find out why did they chose to legalize the drug and how would they regulate it.

It seems the system they envision is different from the Dutch coffee shop system where private shops licenced by the municipalities run the cannabusiness. Danish politicians point out that the Dutch failed to regulate the growing of cannabis and the coffee shops are supplied from the black market. In Denmark, the City Council plans to create a network of state-run shops and cafes, where the government keeps the whole procedure under control from cultivation to distribution. The goal is to protect the consumer and reduce the harms of use. The question is whether the new leftish government will approve the experiment. City Council members are optimistic: even if the plan fails for now, it is only a question of time for the cannabis market will to be regulated, they say.

Posted by Peter Sarosi