European Commission Partially Registers a European Citizens’ Initiative on Cannabis

The European Commission has announced the authorization of a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) aimed at facilitating access to medical cannabis and promoting research into its therapeutic potential.

European associations behind the initiative now have six months to launch a petition campaign, followed by a year to collect one million signatures across at least seven Member States, to compel a review of the proposal.

For more news like this, along with all the latest in legalization, research, and lifestyle, download our free cannabis news app.

The European Commission has announced the authorization of a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) aimed at facilitating access to medical cannabis and promoting research into its therapeutic potential.

European associations behind the initiative now have six months to launch a petition campaign, followed by a year to collect one million signatures across at least seven Member States, to compel a review of the proposal.

Original Proposal Objectives

The original proposal outlined three objectives:

1. Convene a trans-European citizen assembly on cannabis policies, including sanctions and the coherence of Member States’ policies.
2. Enhance access to medical cannabis and allow the transportation of prescribed cannabis and its derivatives for therapeutic purposes to ensure full enjoyment of the right to health.
3. Allocate necessary resources for research into therapeutic uses of cannabis.

However, the Commission has only retained the latter two proposals and will not address the harmonization of European cannabis policies, potentially challenging the petition’s very principle.

“The Commission had to refuse the registration of the first objective of the initiative, as it falls outside its competence to submit a proposal for a legal act on the matter.”

In 2014, the Commission had already accepted an ECI on harmonizing European cannabis policies and legalizing cannabis, titled “Weed Like To Talk,” which gathered 170,000 signatures.

“The Commission has not analyzed the substance of the proposals at this stage,” it added. “The decision to register the initiative regarding its second and third objectives is of a legal nature and does not prejudge the Commission’s final legal and political conclusions on this initiative and the action it might intend to take, if any, should the initiative gain the necessary support.”

Initiative Evolution and Future Steps for Commission

The organizers had initially proposed a slightly more detailed version of the initiative last November, but the objectives were consolidated after initial review and feedback from the Commission.

Should the initiative’s authors gather at least one million signatures within a year, the Commission “must decide whether to follow up on the request and will be required to explain its reasoning.”

The “European Initiative on Cannabis”

The measure, titled “European Initiative on Cannabis” (EIC), indicates that the EU has “gradually adopted common positions on innovative approaches to drug policy centered on human rights, a stance reflected in its participation in United Nations meetings.”

It also points out that member states such as Germany, Luxembourg and Malta have advanced broader reforms aimed at legalizing cannabis.

“The lack of significant progress in containing illicit narcotics in Europe calls for a radical rethink of the approach that for decades has failed to reduce drug supply and demand. There is no evidence that tougher penalties have made Europe’s drug control system more effective, whereas they have mobilized resources to reduce the risks and/or harm associated with problem drug use. This ECI aims to examine some of the reasons why this has happened”.

Last year, a UN panel of experts called for an end to the global war on drugs, and a separate commission on drug policy, made up of presidents and prime ministers from around the world, argued for legal and regulated access to currently illicit substances.

In the context of this possible European cannabis initiative, the leaders of EU member state Germany’s coalition government recently declared that they had reached final agreement on a bill to legalize cannabis nationwide, paving the way for a vote in the last week of February and enactment in April.

—

(Featured image by Guillaume Périgois via Unsplash)

DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third-party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Hemp.im, its management, staff, or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information.

This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these important disclosures.

First published in Newsweed, a third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Hemp.im assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Hemp.im is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us.