Cannabis and Finland

Finland has taken steps to decriminalize drugs. In this, it is part of the Scandinavian thought process that is seeing similar steps being taken by countries such as Norway, Sweden and Iceland. Decriminalization is a change of drug policy, where a person does not get jailed for drug use or possession of small amounts of drugs but is, instead, usually asked to pay a fine or to undergo drug rehabilitation treatment. This is a policy that was hugely successful in Portugal where it is said to have brought down the incidence of dangerous drugs like heroin and methamphetamine significantly and also brought down drastically drug related crime and imprisonment for drug use. 

 

The decriminalization policy, however, has its drawbacks. Firstly, it treats all drugs as equal, be it the most deadly heroin or the safe natural plant cannabis. Secondly, the policy leaves the door open for law enforcement to still confront drug users and impose fines on them. Thirdly, many persons who cannot afford to pay for their drug habit or food, having sold everything that they possess and ended up on the streets, will struggle to pay the fine. For some, the imposition of the fine will make them more determined to make a statement of their freedom by going back to the drug as soon as they get the first chance. For others, the intrusion into their private lives, in terms of demanding fines or threatening drug rehabilitation for a personal choice, will force them to take their drug usage under cover, preventing them from contacting caregivers to find a solution to their problem.

Finland has a relatively small population and most people are sufficiently financially secure. The country has an excellent educational system touted as one of the best in the world. Being one of the world's developed countries most people have the means to live comfortable lives through employment and steady incomes. This high income society is likely one of the reasons why there is a preference for synthetic drugs which are more expensive than natural drugs. Both the legal and illegal synthetic drug sellers are likely to find countries like Finland highly lucrative. It is likely that there are people in the older generations who consume cannabis in an unbroken tradition from the past. Finland is said to be one of Europe's largest importers of cannabis along with Germany and Italy. But with the more younger generations, with cannabis being difficult to access, the recreational drugs of choice have probably become alcohol (Finnish vodka is famous) and more deadly synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, synthetic cannabinoids, novel psychotropic substances and possibly the abuse of prescription drugs. Possibly younger and younger persons are starting to consume these synthetic drugs that are much more deadlier than cannabis. This appears to be a phenomenon common to all Scandinavian countries and is evidenced by their similar approaches to drug policy, looking to address decriminalization of all drugs, instead of taking the measure that will address the root of the problem, society's need for wholesome recreational drugs that the legalization of cannabis will ensure.

As even Portugal has started to acknowledge, the way forward is not decriminalization with fines, but full legalization of adult recreational use of cannabis, including the home growing of the plant. When cannabis is added back into the mix of available recreational drugs, it will provide a safe and natural alternative, one that has existed since as far back as humans can remember. Many European nations are quietly moving in the direction of cannabis including Germany, Spain, France, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands. It is important for Finland to absorb the research findings on the medicinal properties of cannabis as well as its suitability as an ideal recreational drug as compared to even the most commonly available, yet deadly, drugs such as tobacco and alcohol.

It is hoped that decriminalization is an intermediate step that will very soon lead to full legalization thus providing the Finnish people with better and healthier choices. In December 2020,  the UN voted to remove cannabis from its most restricted Schedule IV category of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. It does however still remain in Schedule I, which is the least restrictive. This one move by the UN itself should be sufficient to bring about the recreational legalization of cannabis in every nation and an overhaul of national drug laws. 

It must be noted that in most places where cannabis legalization for recreational purposes has happened it took the efforts of the people who mobilized themselves through grassroots level movements to bring about this change. Left to lawmakers legalization would have been impossible, as the main interests of lawmakers concern the protection of the big industries opposed to cannabis such as pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, medical, alcohol and tobacco. For something that truly benefits the people, the people themselves have had to make the change. 

Listed below are articles taken from various media related to the above subject. Words in italics are the thoughts of your truly at the time of reading the article.    


Legalize marijuana, decriminalize other drugs.

'“There should be an extensive public debate about the necessity of punishment for drug use [...] Criminal sanctions work poorly in the prevention of drug use and related harms, [and are] also ill-suited to the values of today's society, and to public health thinking,” they argue in the article. “In a situation where a drug user does not have to fear punishment or criminal imprisonment, it is much easier to offer [support]. Also, the discussion of drug use in various services - such as healthcare - would become more natural for both parties if drug use were no longer labelled as criminal behaviour”.'
https://www.talkingdrugs.org/finland-drug-use-decriminalisation-call


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