5 NATO countries supporting cannabis legalization

As tensions rise in Europe, the focus is noticeably more on NATO and the countries that belong to that organization. With NATO in the spotlight, there’s a lot to digest about where each of the 30 participating countries stands in terms of politics, especially when compared to Russia.

Cannabis policy is an example of how vastly different NATO countries can approach a political issue. While few countries in NATO have cannabis laws as strict as Russia, which can include incarceration for very small amounts of cannabis, some NATO countries are still slowly warming up to legalizing marijuana.

However, there are five countries in NATO that are leading the way toward legalizing marijuana on a nationwide basis.

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Canada

Our neighbor to the north legalized marijuana in October 2018. The goal of legalizing marijuana in Canada was not just to generate taxable income for the country. According to the government website, the Legalization Act aimed to keep cannabis away from underage youth, deprive criminals of profits, and also protect the healthcare sector by providing legal cannabis for medical purposes. Canada now has a thriving multi-billion dollar legal cannabis industry.

Luxembourg

Luxembourg has taken its first steps toward legalizing marijuana. While COVID-19 has slowed some conversations over the past two years, the government is now allowing its citizens to grow up to four cannabis plants for personal use. The goal is to stop as much illegal drug activity as possible in this small NATO country.

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“We want to do everything we can to move further and further away from the illegal black market,” said Attorney General Sam Tanson said The Guardian. Luxembourg has also greatly reduced its penalty for possessing less than three grams of cannabis outside the home.

Germany

Germany could follow in Malta’s footsteps as the second European country to legalize recreational cannabis. This is quite a big shift inspired by the recent change in governance led by Olaf Schulz. The legalization of cannabis is on the political agenda of this new regime.

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“Legalizing adult recreational cannabis would aim to ensure quality control, prevent the spread of contaminated products, and ensure the protection of minors,” it said forbes.

Italy

The citizens of Italy are showing that they are overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana, and soon. “Supporters of the pro-weed referendum have already collected more than 500,000 signatures, the minimum required for a nationwide referendum.” accordingly Reuters.

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RELATED: Almost there: Italian activists collect enough signatures for referendum to legalize marijuana

This means that the country can, and probably will, hold a vote at some point in the near future. With huge expected revenues and neighboring Malta already paving the way, there’s a lot to be optimistic about in Italy if you’re into cannabis.

Portugal

Portugal is another NATO country moving towards cannabis legalization in the near future. In fact, Portugal has historically been at the forefront of European cannabis legalization. In 2018, Portugal was one of the first EU countries to legalize medicinal cannabis and, according to Benzinga, “has consequently created one of the best environments for the cultivation and production of medicinal cannabis in the world”.

In recent years there have been rumors that the country and its government are on the verge of making recreational cannabis a reality. As in most other countries, COVID-19 has likely slowed talks, but Portugal’s cannabis policy is definitely something to watch over the next few years.