Politicians call on European Commission to pave the way for continental cannabis reform

Members of the European Parliament have called on the continent's regulators to pave the way for comprehensive cannabis reform.

For the first time in its history, the European Parliament held a debate on cannabis in a session entitled «Legalizing the personal use of cannabis: exchanging best practices».

The event was co-sponsored by four of Europe's seven main political blocs, representing almost 50 % of the 705 elected members of Parliament.

Held in Brussels, it was chaired by Irish MEP Luke Flanagan, who addressed the following message to the European Union's regulatory authorities, namely the European Commission.

«Get out of the way!»

«The importance of this gathering is not so much to know what we can get from the European Commission, but rather to make sure they don't get in the way and impede this process.»

«We are not competent in this field, but it seems that the Commission has the right to do so. power to throw a spanner in the works countries that are trying to do so.»

«The best thing we can do is make sure we all know what the Commission is telling us - and that it's consistent - so we all know exactly what's going on.»

«As MEPs, we can't change the law directly, but we can make sure that states that want to go down this road do so as easily as possible.»

The debate was co-organized by Czech politician Mikuláš Peksa, president of the European Pirate Party, which is part of the Greens/European Free Alliance parliamentary bloc, with 73 MEPs.

The Socialists and Democrats, the second largest bloc in the Parliament, with 143 members from 26 EU countries, also supported the event. The center-right bloc, the European Conservatives and Reformists group and the left-wing bloc, with around 100 MEPs between them, also lent their support.

Speakers at the hearing included Germany, Ireland and the Czech Republic, all of which are considering proposals to reform their national cannabis legislation.

Tomas Sadilek, who helps Czech government to draft its cannabis laws, explained that a majority of people in his home country were in favor of reform, and recalled the efforts made to create a regulated market.