Portugal's left-wing presents a new plan to legalize cannabis

The Left Bloc, Portugal’s left-wing Democratic Socialist Party, introduced a new bill in the Assembly last week proposing the legalization of cannabis for personal use.

The proposal calls for the government to regulate the establishment of commercial businesses, the online sale of cannabis, and the home cultivation of up to five plants per person.

The New Proposals

This new bill is different previous attempts at legalization. In fact, the Left Bloc dropped a provision that would have banned edible products and beverages containing cannabis.

«The sale of cannabis enriched with aromas, flavors, or additives» would remain prohibited, as would the sale of synthetic cannabis. The government would also have the option of setting limits on THC levels.

«The government must regulate the entire cultivation, production, and distribution chain, including setting a maximum THC limit and the retail price, in order to combat trafficking and the illegal market,» the text states in the project.

The proposal also states that «the retail sale of cannabis plants, substances, or preparations intended for personal use without a medical prescription—provided they are intended for non-medical purposes—is subject to authorization by the General Directorate of Economic Activities.».

Pedro Filipe Soares, a member of parliament from the Left Bloc, emphasized that legalization is a way to «combat the black market,» «adulterated substances,» and «uninformed use.».

He also argues that Portugal should follow the lead of countries that have already legalized cannabis for personal use, such as Malta, and those who discuss it, such as Germany, where the legalization of cannabis is one of the Key points of the coalition agreement reached between the SPD and the Greens.

In the introduction to the new bill, the Left Bloc emphasizes that «prohibitionist policy is not a solution; in fact, it is an integral part of the problem and contributes to its worsening, shielding drug trafficking from public scrutiny and endangering public health.».

Specialty retail stores and seeds at agricultural supply stores

The explanatory memorandum accompanying the document emphasizes that: «Legalizing cannabis for personal use—more commonly referred to as recreational use—means combating drug trafficking networks and organized crime networks, which are often financed by the trafficking of substances such as cannabis.»

Cannabis retail establishments must have «as their sole business activity, the sale of cannabis plants, substances, or preparations,» with the exception of «commercial establishments whose primary business is the sale of agricultural equipment, machinery, and plants, or similar items, where the sale of cannabis seeds »is permitted.".

The Left Bloc's previous bill was introduced about a year ago but expired with the change in government.