Spain: Podemos reaffirms its position on the legalization of cannabis

Pablo Iglesias, leader of Podemos, once again expresses its position in favor of legalizing cannabis for recreational use. He had already referred to Uruguay, and now takes Canada as an example, first G7 country to legalize the consumption and marketing of cannabis, in support of its position.

Pablo Iglesias' progressive position

In his view, prohibition is absurd, given that cannabis «is no more dangerous than alcohol or tobacco» and could bring in «enormous profits» that would help fund public services. He would like to make Spain, with its favorable climate for cultivation, a world leader in the cannabis industry.

In an interview with la cafetera about Radiocable.com, He denounces a form of political hypocrisy which presents cannabis as a public health problem, when in his view the major problem is one of security, and concerns delinquency and illegal trafficking. He also points out the hypocrisy of the moral upheaval surrounding cannabis: «it's more dignified to export cannabis and thus obtain revenue to improve public health and services than to export arms».

Position overview

Jorge Moruno, a member of the Citizens' Council of State, Podemos' decision-making body, joins Pablo Iglesias on this point despite their political differences in other areas. He proposes making Spain one of Canada's main suppliers, with an appellation of origin like wine.

The previous month, the Parliament of the Valencian Autonomous Community had demanded that the government, via a proposal no de ley voted 68 to 28 in plenary session, controlled legalization of cannabis. The initiative came from a group of parties including the PSOE, Compromis and Podemos, later joined by Ciudadanos. The PP, however, opposed it. The text focused primarily on regulating the therapeutic use of cannabis, and provided for the creation of a commission to study the legal and technical aspects of access to cannabis.

The new president of the government, Pedro Sanchez, questioned on the subject after his election, stated that he had no definite position on the issue, while recalling that «the spirit of the left» was generally against prohibition. However, he seems more open to debate than his more conservative predecessor Mariano Rajoy. Below, the interview with the new president (in Spanish).