PRAHA – This is the 14th year
that the Legalizace.cz association has challenged the criminalization of
marihuana and its users. We are encouraging everyone to express their
disapproval of such laws by attending the global pot legalization
demonstration – Million Marihuana March 2011 – taking place on May
7. The demonstration will include a parade that
starts at 1pm in the Charles Square, Prague, traveling through the centre of
Prague ending in Parukářka park, where live music and educational events will
be taking place through out the day.
This demonstration is in part a response to the cannabis prohibition that is
still active in the Czech Republic, criminalizing indiscriminantly the small
scale growers and prosecuting all those involved in cannabis use, from
self-treatment to recreation. This ineffective and arguably counterproductive
approach taken by our lawmakers ignores valid questions within the marihuana
drug policy debate and moreover reflects a western, largely american, propaganda
campaign against the plant and its culture that was started in the 1930s. The
anti-hemp arguments coming from many politicians lack scientific support and are
often void of the minimal argumentative criteria of personal experience. The
potential of the hemp plant can be found in wide array of uses, often the only
reports of misuse have come directly from the people with the power to legally
restrict the legal status of the cannabis flower.
The Legalizace.cz association actively opposes the current state policy
position, wherein legalized drugs such as alcohol are subject to taxation, only
to have that public money unnecessarily spent to fund the marihuana grow and use
prohibition. This is yet another example of governmental inefficiency,
especially when considering the dangers of hemp are relatively very low compared
to those of other legalized drugs1.
For three years the Legalizace.cz association has been providing, through the
''Seeds for the Seniors“ campaign, the seeds of cannabis plants to many sick
adults, along with information on growing techniques and the proper use of this
traditional medicinal herb2. The association is disgusted by the passive
negligence of the politicians, including the Health Department to the needs of
the people, who could benifit immeasurably from the use of cannabis in their
ongoing treatment. For this and many other reasons we are holding the
demonstratin for legalization of marihuana on May 7th, 2011 and asking all
supporters to come out in force.
At the same time, the NGO Legalizace.cz is releasing a detailed proposal that
includes an educated and efficient solution to this unprecedent restriction of
individual freedom concerning this medicinal herb. Our recommendations
to the government of the Czech Republic are:
To legalize growing of up to 5 plants of medicinal
(narcotic) hemp
To legalize the possesion of cannabis for self-treatment and
recreational purposes
To legalize cannabis for the science and research
purposes
To involve the civil society and to reflect the needs of the citizens
in the process of solving current drug policy issues.
„The legalization of growing of up to 5 plants of psychoactive hemp would
remove the herb out of the black market and put it in its natural environment of
the gardens and balconies of sick people and recreational users. The freedom to
grow five plants would partially reduce the growing of high-potency, higher-risk
cannabis in indoor conditions, reducing the black market demand as well as its
exorbitant price. This reduction of the negative consequences of prohibition
could at the same time reduce the state budget costs for law enforcement of the
cannabis users, who represent no danger for the society,“ said Robert Veverka,
vice-chairman of the Legalizace.cz association, explaining the claim to legalize
growing of 5 plants.
1 The number of crimes commited under the influence of alcohol in the Czech
Republic is estimated 62 000 per year (18% of total), under the influence of
non-alcoholic drugs it's about 7000 (2%). Traffic accidents with alcohol
involved reached 5 725 in 2009, while other drugs were involved in 137 cases.
Source: Annual report about drug situation in the Czech Republic in 2009
2 More info (in czech) at http://www.legalizace.cz/…ka-seniorum/
Note to the journalists: Instead of a press conference we will provide
information service directly at the Million Marihuana March happening in the
Press Centre of Legalizace.cz at our stall on the highest place of the
Parukářka park from 15:30 till 17:00. To request information or an interview
with any of the MMM guests please contact the Press Centre or our press agent,
Mr. Robert Veverka.
Contacts:
Robert Veverka, speaker/vice-chairman of the Legalizace.cz, tel.:
773 691 561, mail: robert@legalizace.cz
Hana Gabrielová, chairwoman of Legalizace.cz, tel.: 777 027 012, mail: hanka@legalizace.cz
Martin Juki Jyrkinen, media services, tel.: 777 337 187, mail: press@legalizace.cz
Ztráta chuti k jídlu je běžné
mezi pacienty s rakovinou, a to buď proto, že rakovina sama nebo její
léčba ovlivňuje chuť a vůni, což nakonec vede ke snížení požitku
z jídla. To vede ke ztrátě váhy a proto dostatečný příjem potravy je
důležitou součástí léčby rakoviny.