Legalization of cannabis could be presented to the Portuguese parliament this year

Cannabis legalization could reach the Portuguese Parliament this year, with a likely political consensus to speed up approval of the law.

After a demonstration that started in Lisbon's Plaça Luís de Camões, several participants in the March for Cannabis, organized by the Mothers' Movement for Cannabis, gathered on the steps of the Assembly of the Republic building. During a moment dedicated to speeches, several political leaders unveiled the possibility of legalizing cannabis in Portugal in the near future.

Francisco Themudo, National Secretary for Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees of the Socialist Youth, addressed the audience. He explained that the will obviously exists, but that above all, the necessary political conditions must be in place to achieve full regulation of cannabis.

According to the CannaReporter, the leader declared that «smoking is an act of freedom, and we have the right to do it safely», defending a legal framework in which the cannabis plant is not illegal.

But in case there was any doubt, in the corridors of the Portuguese parliament, cannabis is more than just a debate, according to Liberal Initiative MP Rodrigo Saraiva. The MP told attendees that by 2023, Parliament might even be receiving proposals to debate, «already with some prior consensus».

Former Bloco de Izquierda MP Fabien Figueiredo also confirmed the party's willingness to contribute to the debate and legalization of cannabis in Portugal. The former MP had presented a proposal in 2021 aimed at legalizing cannabis for personal use, which failed before the government at the end of the year.

Last June, the Portuguese left had also presented a new project for the legalization of cannabis, different from the previous one. Last December, the Secretary General of the Socialist Youth (JS), Miguel Costa Matos, defended the idea that the PS should take advantage of its absolute majority to advance the cause of cannabis legalization in Portugal.

In 2019, the Portuguese parliament had already rejected 2 proposals legalization.