Luxembourg’s health minister has confirmed that the country plans to legalize recreational marijuana and he has urged other European Union (EU) member states to relax their own marijuana laws. If the country ends prohibition, it will be the first European country to take this bold step in defiance of UN conventions on the matter.
Etienne Schneider, Luxembourg’s health minister, said that the current drug policy which has been in existence in the country for the past 50 years hasn’t had the desired effect because prohibition only served to make marijuana more appealing to the youth. He added that he hoped that the citizens of Luxembourg would all become more open-minded towards drugs.
According to the legalization plan, residents who are at least 18-years old would be able to buy, possess and use marijuana in Luxembourg two years from now. The state plans to create an agency through which the production and distribution of marijuana will be regulated.
The draft law through which this legalization will be implemented is expected to be unveiled later this year. The health minister revealed that the draft law is likely to include provisions banning visitors from buying marijuana during their stay in Luxembourg. Schneider says this provision is necessary in order to prevent the country from becoming a destination for “drug tourists.”
The legalization law is also likely to ban the home cultivation of marijuana while also decriminalizing the possession of less than 28grams of the drug by minors between 12 and 17 years of age. However, minors who contravene this rather liberal provision will face stiff penalties.
Luxembourg’s health minister also said that he was keen to convince other countries in the EU to follow Luxembourg’s lead and reform their own marijuana laws.
According to additional information provided by Schneider, there is likely to be limited resistance to the plan to legalize marijuana in Luxembourg because a coalition of the Liberals, the Greens and the Social Democrats agreed to this plan. Last year, Felix Braz (the justice minister) and Schneider flew to Canada to see how one of the largest Canadian pot companies was producing marijuana for the recreational market.
Medical marijuana is already legal in Luxembourg and the possession of limited amounts of marijuana was decriminalized. Full legalization therefore seems to be the next logical step for this EU country.
It is unclear how other EU countries will respond to the legalization of cannabis in Luxembourg. The Netherlands is currently the only country in the EU which tolerates recreational marijuana since the drug is neither illegal nor legal. Coffee shops openly sell marijuana even if the cultivation and processing of the substance remains illegal in the country.
Pundits believe that the global cannabis industry, including actors like Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQB: PLPRF) and SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING), could be very pleased by the news coming from Luxembourg since this may trigger a domino effect in other EU countries.
About CNW420
CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.
To receive instant SMS alerts, text CANNABIS to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)
For more information please visit https://www.CNW420.com
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer
Do you have a questions or are you interested in working with CNW420? Ask our Editor
CannabisNewsWire420
Denver, Colorado
http://www.CNW420.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com
