What do you reach for when you need to relax… a beer, the Xbox, your therapist on speed dial?
For those who favour a spliff, they’re not so lucky, battling laws and being subject to prejudice just because their preference strays from the norm.
Now, this is all set to change, as Luxembourg becomes the first European country to welcome the legal growing and smoking of cannabis for non-medical reasons.
This is a huge triumph for the continent as it joins 11 of the 50 states in USA and Uruguay in South America to give adults autonomy on using weed recreationally.
Speaking about the ruling, Luxembourgian justice minister Sam Tanson said she was thrilled at the country’s progressive attitude to tackling drug culture.
Comparatively, many other countries still ignore the economic benefits of legalising marijuana despite its power to increase tax revenues, job growth, and investment opportunities, not to mention drive gangs out of business.
Tanson said: “We thought we had to act, we have an issue with drugs, and cannabis is the drug that is most used and is a large part of the illegal market.
“We want to start by allowing people to grow it at home. The idea is a consumer is not in an illegal situation if consuming cannabis, we don’t support the illegal chain from production to transportation to selling where there is a lot of misery attached.”
She continued: “We want to do everything we can to get more and more away from the illegal black market.”
In addition to this, there will be a big drive from the government to focus on addiction prevention, education, and healthcare to create better awareness.
While using dope in public will remain illegal, fines are to be drastically reduced and people will be allowed to carry up to three grams on them.
In the privacy of their own home, adults will be able to cultivate up to four plants.
It is believed that neighbouring country Germany is already considering a similar move, and with only Belgium and the Netherlands in-between them and us, should the legislation continue to spread it won’t be long before it hits UK shores too.
Inspo Daily 