Calls to legalize cannabis are mounting across Europe as a growing number of countries seek to replicate progressive moves by Canada and parts of the U.S. to greenlight the drug.
From improving public health to increasing tax revenues and reducing taboos around medical marijuana, the merits of a legal market are numerous, advocates told the industry event Cannabis Europa in London last week.
That’s despite longstanding pushback from critics, who argue that legalization leads to more crime, addiction, and health risks. “We know what works is a regulated market,” said Jindřich Vobořil, the Czech Republic’s national drug coordinator.
Still, governments face pushback at the European Union level, with many so far struggling to produce a bill that adheres to EU laws, international drug treaties, and public health concerns.
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