Green party in Finland calls for an end to the ban

Finland may not come first when it comes to being an epicenter of cannabis reform, but even this Scandinavian country is considering it now.

The Green Party of Finland, the Green League, advocates a policy of legalizing and regulating an emerging domestic cannabis market. Although the move has no official legal basis, it is the first time a political party has called for cannabis legalization in the Finnish parliament.

Given that there appears to be little support at the federal level at the moment, it is unlikely that the measure will be pushed forward (for now).

Cannabis in Finland

This region of the world is perhaps best known to outsiders for having lots of snow and the occasional cool, selfish furniture. Beyond that, however, cannabis reform has gone icy, even at the pace seen in Europe, and many are growing impatient for the ban to end.

The cannabis ban in Finland dates back specifically to the mid-1960s, and although this is one of the most liberal parts of Europe, the criminalization of personal use has always been highly controversial. However, the national government achieved this goal by 1972.

Fast forward to this century. In 2008 the Finnish government approved the use of medicinal cannabis flowers (imported from Holland). As of 2017, the Supreme Court of Finland ruled that the penalty for a serious drug offense can be reduced depending on the nature of the role of the perpetrator and the amount of illegal drugs.

In 2018, a national survey found that only 18 percent of fins believed that adult use should be legal. In 2019, a citizens’ initiative to decriminalize 50,000 signatures to force parliament to scrutinize it (it was not adopted).

The Finnish Narcotics Act states that using or possessing illegal drugs (including cannabis) is a criminal offense. Penalties can range from a fine to six months in prison, depending on the amount.

However, CBD is legal and limited amounts of hemp are grown in the country.

The legal status of cannabis in Scandinavia

The fact that cannabis reform seems to be on the move in Finland is a good sign for this part of Europe.

Scandinavia generally has strict cannabis use laws. Sweden only allows the medical use of cannabinoid-based drugs. In Iceland, however, the entire cannabinoid discussion, even for medicinal purposes, is off the table. Norway liberalized its cannabis laws (back in 2018), allowing small amounts to be owned in the country. The only exception is Denmark, which started a four-year medical study in 2018 and is also considering a recreational study in the near future. The country has one of the larger cultivation programs in Europe with over 40 licenses issued.

With agriculture accounting for just over two percent of Finland’s GDP, it is unlikely that a large cultivation industry will develop here. But here too, as in Germany, imports of a medical nature, especially from neighboring Denmark, could appear.

Regardless, some sort of cannabis reform is now clearly on the political agenda – and that is generally a positive development. Nor is there currently any part of Europe where at least reform of medical cannabis has been considered. Beyond that, however, it will be the next big hurdle, almost everywhere, including Scandinavia.

It remains to be seen what will happen, but it is clear that a change is imminent in Europe when it comes to legal cannabis.