Can Marijuana Legalisation Help Croatia?

Prompted by marijuana legalisation calls in California, we asked Croatian politicians if such a formula could be applied here.

The credit crunch is still hitting its epicentre, the USA, while some of the countries where great losses rage, are trying to come up with funds to help the state budget in various ways.

Such an example is Slovenia, where Tom Ammiano, a member of the California Senate, advocated

the legalisation of marijuana and marijuana possession for citizens over 12 years of age. California legislators would introduce limitations and marijuana taxes similar to those applied for alcohol – to 30 grams of marijuana, and it would cost several hundred dollars in the street, with 50 dollars of tax.

If marijuana is legalises, the federal state`s profits are estimated at 14 billion dollars per year. Furthermore, a research has shown that 58 percent of citizens would like to legally “get high”, under the condition that the same laws are applied to cannabis sativa as are to cigarettes and alcohol.

Out of all the federal countries of the USA, Alaska has gone the furthest, where it is legal to own less than 30 grams of marijuana at home.

“Leads to legalisation of heroin”

Marijuana is illegal in Croatia. However, just like the USA a few months ago, Croatia is facing the severe financial crisis which will lead to many lay offs, lost salaries, bankruptcy cases etc.

However, Croatia has a profitable tourist season, which would surely become more profitable if tourists were free to enjoy cannabis sativa. Mostly because of the morality of the nation, which legalising marijuana would affect, and because of the youth, some politicians do not advocate it.

- Absolutely not. This would be the final step after which there would be no coming back to

traditional values. This is going to the other extreme and will simply not do. There should be less marijuana, what will the parents say… After legalisation, the issue raises: what next? Perhaps legalisation of heroin – Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (ISD) was decisive,

Milanka Opacic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) shared his views, saying legalisation would not send out a suiting message.

- No. I would not agree to pass this. It would be hard to explain to the youth how such a thing is legalised and everything else is unavailable – Opacic was clear.

Decriminalisation first, legalisation maybe

Still, a different answer came from the same party. Sime Lucin is prone to legalising marijuana as a means of alleviating the crisis.

- In my opinion, things should be more thorough, first marijuana needs to be decriminalised. A difference should be made between easy and hard drugs in the face of the law. Today, you have examples where the same fine is given if you push marijuana or heroin – Sime Lucin said, adding that he would vote yes for such a proposal.

- Personally, I believe that it would be better to legalise marijuana, in a way, because the black market is the worst, especially if some form of tax would be raised this way. I don`t think marijuana is as bad as it`s cracked up to be – Alenka Kosisia Cicin-Sain told us, representative of the Croatian People`s Party (HNS).

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