On November 7th, the Sejm Comitee Will Consider the Bill to Decriminalize Cannabis in Poland

On November 7th, 2024, a key meeting of the Sejm Committee will be held in Poland, where it is planned to consider a draft law that could be a breakthrough in Polish cannabis legislation.

Przemysław Zawadzki and the Wolne Konopie organization, the authors of this initiative, have proposed decriminalizing the possession of up to 15 grams of cannabis and allowing the cultivation of one plant for personal use.

What is the decriminalization project in Poland about?

The bill assumes that possession of up to 15 grams of cannabis and cultivation of one cannabis bush will no longer be treated as criminal offences, and their owners will not be subject to punishment.

MPs involved in the case, including Marcin Józefaciuk, pointed out that such a solution could not only reduce the burden on courts and police, but also be a step towards treating cannabis similarly to alcohol.

Arguments of decriminalization supporters in Poland

Przemysław Zawadzki and Wolne Konopie argue that the current regulations are causing marginalization of one of the largest social groups in Poland – people using cannabis, whose number is up to 3 million.

Around 10% of all criminal offences are cases related to possession of small amounts of cannabis, which leads to unnecessary burden on the judicial system and the police. As the initiators of the project emphasize, the issue of cannabis addiction is a health problem, not a criminal one, which should be solved through support, not repression.

Public support – CBOS research results

Recent CBOS research indicates that as many as 73.4% of adult Poles do not support punishment for possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use. These results show that society is increasingly accepting cannabis and is willing to support changes in the law that reflect a progressive approach to cannabis.

In many Western countries, the decriminalization of cannabis is already a fact. Such regulations are in force in Germany, Portugal and Canada, where the liberalization of cannabis laws has not led to an increase in social problems, but on the contrary – has allowed for better allocation of police and judicial resources, directing them to combat more serious crimes.

New medical cannabis prescription rules

The date of November 7th, 2024 is also important for another reason – that’s when new regulations come into effect that prohibit medical cannabis prescriptions from being issued via teleconsultation in Poland. The changes mean that patients who need medical cannabis will have to go to a doctor or clinic in person to get a prescription.

The new regulations in Poland have sparked controversy because many patients, including the elderly and those living far from specialist cannabis clinics, may have difficulty accessing their medicine. The changes could also lead to an increase in black market trade, which carries the risk of buying cannabis of unknown origin.

What would change if cannabis was decriminalized in Poland?

The potential adoption of this bill would have several key consequences:

Reducing the burden on the justice system – fewer cases involving small-scale cannabis possession.
Reducing the social stigma of cannabis users – the ability to treat marijuana users in a similar way to alcohol users.
Combating the illegal cannabis market – decriminalization can reduce interest in the black market, leading to greater safety for users.

Summary

The meeting of the Sejm Committee on November 7th may be one of the most important events for the future of marijuana users in Poland. Zawadzki and Wolne Konopie appeal to the public and MPs to support this step towards a more humane drug policy.

It is worth following the developments, as these changes may bring relief to millions of Poles and constitute an important step towards more just treatment for people using marijuana for personal use.

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(Featured image by GRAS GRUN via Unsplash)

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

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