Concerns about relaxation

Black alliance against weed in the border region

ÖVP regional managing director for Lower Austria, Matthias Zauner (left) and Florian Hiegelsberger, (Upper Austria, right)(Bild: OÖVP)

In addition to Germany, our northern neighbors in the Czech Republic are also planning extensive relaxation of cannabis policy. The people's parties from Upper and Lower Austria see this as a threat to border areas and are working together to ensure strict compliance with international anti-drug agreements.

As recently decided in the German Bundestag, adults will be allowed to legally consume cannabis from April 1st - but only under strict conditions and requirements. Now the Czech Republic, where cannabis consumption is already the highest in Europe, also wants to significantly liberalize the use of the plant and its active ingredients. 

Concerns about a "green wave"
This worries the ÖVP regional parties of Upper Austria and Lower Austria: "If the Czech Republic establishes a legalized market, negative effects on youth protection, health protection, safety and road traffic in Austrian border areas are to be expected," said OÖVP regional managing director Florian Hiegelsberger and the regional managing director of the People's Party of Lower Austria, Matthias Zauner.

"Liberal plans problematic"
The Czech plans are far more liberal than the German plans: both the permitted possession, distribution and sales quantities are to be unlimited. The drug should also be legally produced and available in numerous places. This means "more cannabis in circulation, more consumption, more criminal activities and therefore more dangers for the border regions", Hiegelsberger and Zauner believe.

Call for consistent resistance
They are therefore calling for Austria to insist on strict compliance with international anti-drug agreements and to take a consistent stance against the Czech government's cannabis plans. Conservative-dominated Bavaria has also already announced that it will make the release as restrictive as possible.

Pros and cons of cannabis
Some voices warn against the liberalization of the green herb in all its processed forms, as it is considered a gateway drug and a trigger for psychosis and other mental problems. Proponents, on the other hand, emphasize that controlled production and distribution should curb the black market and thus the flow of money into organized crime. In addition, quality, purity and age restrictions are to be controlled and the burden on the police and judiciary reduced. In addition, considerable tax revenues are to be generated.