New Law on Drugs in the Czech Republic
11March 8, 2010 by Aleksandra Łuczak
Found on earthtimes.org
The Czech government introduced new law on January 1 which sets forth that possession of drugs for personal use is no longer a criminal offence in this Central European country.
Under the new legislation, a person can, for example, have up to 15g of marijuana, 1g of cocaine, 1.5g of heroin, 4 ecstasy tablets, 5 LSD tablets and 2g of amphetamines.
The amounts have been chosen as they represent what the courts define as for “personal use,” explains Justice Minister Daniela Kovarova.
On paper, the new rules mean the Czech Republic now has one of the most liberal drug laws in Europe.
The issue is very controversial. Today’s Gazeta Wyborcza informs that Czech tourists are persecuted and humiliated in Germany when the police stops them to search the cars for drugs.
What is your opinion on this liberal law.
Have your say!
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It is a very liberal law, but maybe it is a new way to find a solution to cope with drug problem. I think we should wait and see it how it works. In the Netherlands drugs are legal and the statistics says that there is no increase in drug consumption. The level of use of drugs is stable, so maybe it will work the same in the Czech Republic.
In my opinion the law-restriction drugs in the Czech Republic is one of the most liberal in the whole world. Legalisation of all kinds of drugs can bring up more addicted people. I think that drugs should be divided into two groups like hard and soft drugs as it is in the Netherlands. There could be a bright side of legal drugs possesions because it could increase public awareness of society.
Law in the Czech Republic is certainly more liberal than in other European countries. However, I believe that legalizing drugs will not increase the dependency among the Czechs. It is well known that what is legal is less attractive. After passing of this Act the drug trade will cease to exist.
I am not a great fan of the introduction of legalization of drugs in Poland, nor a great opponent.
If someone has to take drugs it will do so regardless of whether they will be legalized or not.
I think this law is quite good for Czech Republic. Czech police can focus on more serious cases then hunting drug dealers/users… And as Adrianna said people who want take drugs they wont bother if its legal or not(of course if not its harder to get drugs which automatically decrease amount of drags users).
Let’s look at prohibition in USA in 1920. Because of forbidden alcohol many criminal organizations showed up and they started illegal smuggling and dealing. They began causing a lot of problems with authorities. Legalization destroyed some of this criminal organizations, and i think Czech legalization will do the same thing, even their government can earn money from drugs (by taxing them). Furthermore, perhabs more tourist will come to Czech Republic to “get high” in peace and totally legally.
One thing i dont like, in new Czech law, is amount of drugs for “personal use”. I think this is too much, they gave a lot of freedom to people who used to do illegal drugs before legalization. They should gradually increase amount of legaly drugs from nothing to current amount, and during this they should keep a close watch on society.
I think that legalizing drugs will help to reduce the black market in Czech Republic. Drugs, such as the marijuana or the cocaine will be sold with the excise band and they will be of good quality. From the other side persons which so far didn’t take drugs, seeing them on the shelf in the shop will be more willingly to buy it. Everyone should remember that drugs are very dangerous and they destroy the organism. The access to them should be be controlled somehow. For example government should create a law, which says that drug possession without the excise band and from the unknown source, will be punished.
At last! I think that it is good example of reasonable policy of state. If the state impose a tax of selling and production od drugs, it will give large amount of money to state treasury.The same from drug tourism. This money can go for retirement pension or for building new playgrounds for children like it’s from alcohol and cigarettes. So, more consumption, more money. Anoher thing, legal drugs means better quality. Banning drugs? No. My live. My choice. The same should be in Poland.
Problem of drugs trafficking have grown over last decade in Czech Republic. It was very easy for citizens and tourists to buy drugs in public places. In the major cities almost on every corner you could find man who has had “something” to offer. It was impossible for police to control that issue. Probably it was too costly for country to fight with drugs. That is why Czech Republic implemented “Law on Drugs”.
I do not know financial side of this aspect but in my opinion it is immoral and unethical to let people sell and buy drugs. Government of the country should be against crime and in more than 90% of the world possessing drugs is illegal.
In my opinion Czech government made a really good move. I think that possesion of drugs should be legal. Why? Two major points. In Poland drugs are illegal and that means that we dont’s have drugs? Of course we have. More than 60% of people under age of 18 admits that they know where they can buy marijuana. Drugs are everywhere. In Holland for example, marijuana is legal but selling it is strictly controlled by gonverment. No one will sell you marijuana if you are under 18 because seller is affraid that he may loose his license and selling on the street is stupidity because its against law and marijuana can be both in shop. Second thing is that in Poland you can go to jail if you have any drugs with you. I understand that drugs dealers should go to jail but not everyone who is smoking 1g of marijuana per month is a criminal and should go to jail. However, jails in poland and are another topic.
I think it was very good move of Czech Parliment to approve this regulation. They follow the Netherlands which derive profits from marihuana growing. They will save money on penitentiary and collect extra revenue from drug taxes. I think Poland should take example from our southern neighbour.
Legalization of marijuana according to me has more advantages than disadvantages. The disadvantage is giving opportunities to use soft drugs by people who can not cope with addiction. The advantages are less crime – less money spent on prison drug dealers, litigation, etc. The larger receipts from taxes on marijuana. Thanks to the taxtation prices have risen and young people would be reluctant to pay for drugs. Thus the demand for marijuana would drop and so on:)
This is the way of the Czech Republic government to decriminalize the common drug users, who had previously ended up frequently in jails and prisons. In connection with the entry into force of the new law, the prices of drugs in the Czech Republic decreased by 30-40%. However, experts note, there emerged a contradictory situation: on the one hand, to buy, carry and use drugs can, on the other – the official places selling them no, and trade remains illegal.
According to statistics, 28% of Czechs younger than 24 years at least once a year, smoke marijuana, which is the highest in the EU. In this case, use hard drugs is on average lower than in the whole EU. The drug possession for own use will be taken more loosely than in the neighboring countries. The Polish police officers afraid that the Polish youngsters will be using the other side of the bridge in Cesky Tesin(Cieszyn) for partying (becouse the city is half in Poland and half in the Czech Republic, with the border crossing the bridge).