A political majority in Copenhagen Council is in favour of introducing legalised marijuana cafés in the city, but the government has firmly rejected the idea.

According to a council majority of Social Democrats, the Socialist People’s Party, the Social Liberals and a single Liberal, free access to marijuana would, among other benefits, reduce hash consumption while at the same time more or less stop the illegal underground trade in marijuana, which is believed to have a turnover of some DKK 1 billion each year.

Escalate
”Let me say this simply. The Liberal Party is against legalising marijuana. That is a slippery slope which endagers young people, as we know that smoking hash, among other things, results in a major risk of psychological illnesses and often to actual drug abuse. So we reject the idea,” says Liberal Legal Spokesman Kim Andersen adding he is surprised that former Justice Minister Frank Jensen (SocDem) can support the idea.

Socially irresponsible
Copenhagen Council cannot introduce its proposal without parliamentary support as it would require changes to the law, which the junior government coalition Conservative Party is not prepared to countenance either.

”It would be deeply socially irresponsible to legalise marijuana. And it will never happen with Conservative votes,” says Conservative Legal Spokesman Tom Behnke, who says that legalising the substance would cause people to smoke more.