Slovakia’s Incoming Leftist Premier Wants to Relax Tough Cannabis La

[kiwi_farmer]

 

The leader of the Smer party, Robert Fico, on March 15, 2012, before his meeting with the Slovak president at the presidential palace in Bratislava

 

 

 

Robert Fico, the incoming Slovak prime minister, may push for partial legalization of marijuana possession.

 

“If smokers of marijuana, lovers of bongs [water pipes] or cakes with ingredients of this soft drug in Slovakia currently face very severe punishment, it is legitimate to raise the question of whether the threat of such punishment is effective, given the widespread use of marijuana,” Mr. Fico, a lawyer whose left-of-center Smer-Social Democracy party won March 12 general elections, wrote on his blog.

Casual marijuana smokers or inhalers now face prison sentences for up to three years, and a significant proportion of cases dealt with by some prosecutors in Bratislava, the country’s capital, has to do with marijuana possession, Mr. Fico said.

 

He called the current system dysfunctional and ineffective, and said he didn’t believe that strict criminal laws have a deterrent effect. Mr. Fico called for legalizing the possession of a maximum of three doses of cannabis for personal use.

 

The incoming prime minister’s call may take the wind out of sails of Slovak liberal politicians such Richard Sulik, who has long championed legalizing soft drugs.

 

Having won 84 out 150 parliamentary seats, Mr. Fico’s social democrats will form the country’s first-ever majority cabinet without the need of seeking support from any junior coalition members. The cabinet may be formed as early as Thursday, following the inaugural meeting of the legislature also scheduled for that day.

 

By Leos Rousek

April 3, 2012, 12:02 PM CET

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