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European Cannabis Update

[DaveInCalgary]

Cannabis in Belgium: Towards the 2024 Elections!

September 4, 2023

Last week, the various Belgian political parties once again took a position on the legalization of cannabis. And this in a country surrounded by 3 neighboring countries that have already taken this path to a certain extent. The Netherlands, which after more than 40 years finally wants to regulate the cultivation and wholesale of cannabis, Luxembourg, where citizens are recently allowed to grow 4 cannabis plants (be careful, do not take too good care of them because possession in public space is limited to 3 grams) . And Germany, which wants to set up Cannabis Clubs, as the country with the largest population in the European Union. But after Malta, apart from these three, there are several countries within the EU that could eventually legalize cannabis as the second member state.
This time the bat was thrown in the box by federal Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy Pierre-Yves Dermagne, who was interviewed by De Morgen last Thursday. In which, after enjoying his PS party earlier this summer and Mayor of Brussels Philippe Close who hoped that coffee shops would soon appear in the streets, he argues for regulation of this market. It is well known that the Walloon socialists have been in favor of this approach for some time. For example, former Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo has been an active advocate of such a policy since the 1990s.
In Wallonia, MR chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez reacts negatively to the umpteenth seed that is being planned by the French-speaking socialists. Strange for a liberal who saw something in the idea of regulation in 2017 , following the establishment of a cannabis social club in Bergen, the provincial capital of Hainaut. Anyway, that politicians can turn like the wind on this subject should not be surprising. In addition, you can ask yourself when it will be the time to regulate this market, when the country will soon border 800 kilometers to areas where the plant can be legally grown, traded and consumed in a certain form. .
Last Sunday, his Flemish liberal colleague and federal minister Vincent Van Quickenborne was a guest in the VRt program De Zevende Dag, where he was briefly asked to respond to the proposal of his coalition partner in the government. However, this liberal did not get any further than the fact that today we no longer put cannabis consumers in our overcrowded prisons. However, his party took over in September 2022took a positive position at a member conference, looking at the policy in Canada as an example for our country. Our minister argued that the current drug crime problem has nothing to do with cannabis. This is also a reason for him not to discuss this further and to put forward the party position publicly. Which is strange for a politician who, 20 years ago, as a senator, submitted a bill to decriminalize the personal possession and consumption of cannabis within the current framework.
Party chairman, Flemish member of parliament and also mayor of Antwerp for the N-VA Bart De Wever was very clear on the social media platform X. For him there can be no question of following the track of our eastern neighbors. He describes their plans as medically irresponsible, they give the police and judiciary more work and do not contribute to the fight against organized crime. Other party members were also clear. For example, Flemish Minister of Finance and Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage Matthias Diependaele said that he saw this idea as the crass undermining of the well-being of Walloon society. The jamais of the Flemish Nationalist party to the French-speaking socialists is clear. But it can also form an extra hurdle in any government negotiations between these two parties after the elections. It remains to be seen who will add water to the wine. Whether the theme once again disappears in the fridge despite international developments.
The reasoning of Vlaams Belang member of parliament Marijke Dillen to stick to a ban also has to do with the health aspect. However, no one has argued that by regulating cannabis we would have fewer problems with the consumption of alcohol. Unless, of course, people would drink less due to the legalization of the plant .
Yet there is also clear enthusiasm on the Flemish side to join the idea of the French-speaking socialists and not least of their sister party Vooruit. This became clear during the interview with Flemish Member of Parliament Maxim Veys in the Cannabis Connoisseurs podcast. The theme has been on the party program since 2014 thanks to the Young Socialists. Their chairman Conner Rousseau also spoke positively on several occasions in the past. The model of the so-called cannabis social clubs is also being pushed forward.
Also in Green! seems to have placed the theme a little higher on the agenda. Co-chair Jeremie Vaneeckhout already explained this new position in detail when he was a guest in the CannabisKenners podcast. Here too, the Jong Groen members have clearly left their mark on this policy change. As far as the Flemish Green is concerned, this theme is in the cards with which they go to the negotiating table after the elections if they are asked.
The ultimate question remains whether cannabis will become a theme in the election campaign and subsequent government negotiations. Yves Dermagne was clear: for the PS, the legalization of cannabis is a priority when it comes to safety and public health. Since the theme of security remains a topical subject in view of the ever-increasing drug crime in various cities, there is a chance that this will translate into the various election programs and debates. Hopefully, a realistic cannabis policy will also be given the necessary space within this and will not be dismissed as an irrelevant theme despite the various developments in neighboring countries.