Cannabis activists in Trinidad & Tobago have praised the proclamation of legislation to decriminalise use and possession in small amounts, but said that it is only the beginning. "It is a start. Not the start we would have liked but is a start," said CEO of advocacy NGO Cannabis and You Javed Baksh. With decriminalisation people will be able to legally have cannabis at home and use it (four plants per person and under 30 grammes of flower and under five grammes of resin) but this has already been happening. "People been doing that for how many years. They get it at home and use it at home. Some have grown in their residences. I have it grown years ago." (See also: Process for ganja pardons begins | How marijuana records will be expunged)

A series of protests which began on January 15 in various cities and neighborhoods across Tunisia have largely focused on economic inequality and police repression. But recently, some of those protesting have revived an old demand of decriminalizing cannabis usage. One event appears to have pushed some to take up this demand again with renewed visibility in the streets and on social media: on January 21, 2021 a judge in El Kef handed out 30-year jail sentences to three young men for cannabis consumption in a public place. The high attendance at these protests may stem in part from widespread anger at the 30-year jail sentence. However, some of the recent street activism may be traced to planning going back even further, to six months ago, according to one organizer.

Founded in 1971 by squatters on an abandoned military base, Christiania was devised as a post-’60s anarchistic utopia, where people could live outside of Denmark’s market economy. Denmark’s government oscillated between attempting, without much success, to bring the community to heel or turning a blind eye as Christianites flouted property laws and drug laws. But now, after 50 years, with worsening gang violence and fresh attempts by the government to normalize the commune, some residents see their dream of an alternative society fading.

The European Union is currently a hotchpotch of different approaches to cannabis use, ranging from complete prohibition to different levels of decriminalisation and tolerance. Even in liberal enclaves like Barcelona and Amsterdam, the sale of cannabis from licensed clubs or outlets, is only allowed on murky legal grounds. But legalisation remains a rarity, with only Luxembourg preceding Malta in plans to legalise home-growing of a limited number of plants. But that is about to change as Germany, the EU’s economic powerhouse and most populous and influential country, is set to embark on legalisation, which could well have an impact across the continent.

El debate sobre la legalización del cannabis ha aterrizado en la política alemana: "Introduciremos la distribución controlada de cannabis para adultos con fines de consumo en tiendas autorizadas”, dice el acuerdo de coalición del actual gobierno federal, formado por los Verdes, liberales (FDP) y socialdemócratas (SPD). De aprobarse, la nueva ley podría afectar a muchas personas. El economista Julius Haucamp dijo que se calcula que cuatro millones de personas consumen cannabis en Alemania, la mayoría de ellas ocasionalmente. Aunque todas las señales apuntan hacia la legalización, cada tres minutos un consumidor de cannabis es penalizado en Alemania según la actual ley de estupefacientes.

El Ayuntamiento de la capital de Países Bajos, Ámsterdam, ha anunciado un plan para plantar cara a los efectos negativos del turismo de masas: prohibir el consumo de marihuana en el casco antiguo de la ciudad, en el que se incluye el Barrio Rojo, a partir de mediados de mayo. El Ayuntamiento ha asegurado que "los vecinos del casco antiguo sufren mucho por el turismo de masas y el abuso de alcohol y drogas en las calles". Según el consistorio, esto provoca que los vecinos no puedan dormir bien y que el vecindario se vuelva "inhabitable". Si las molestias no disminuyen lo suficiente, las autoridades han avisado que investigarán si pueden "prohibir fumar en las terrazas de los coffee shops". 

Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema believes that Europe should decriminalize the sale of cocaine, like various countries already allow the sale of cannabis. “But I am a realist and know that there is too little political support for such measures,” she said at the opening of a congress on organized crime organized by Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius and attended by multiple European institutions and Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. She thinks countries need to look at drug use differently. “Let us face the facts: the war on drugs isn’t working. Seizing drugs is not working. And cocaine regulation isn’t in the picture either. I hope we can agree that we need to formulate an alternative strategy,” Halsema said. (See also: Ministers say legalising drugs won’t deter crime; new cooperation might)

En la Comisión Primera del Senado, se aprobó con 11 votos a favor y 3 en contra, la ley que busca regular el consumo de marihuana de manera recreativa en Colombia. La iniciativa establece una nueva reglamentación en torno al “uso adulto” del cannabis. El senador Luis Fernando Velasco, ponente de la propuesta, explicó que lo que se pretende es quitarle el control de este negocio ilícito a las mafias que operan en el país. Además, los promotores de la iniciativa insistieron en que no buscan promover el consumo del cannabis y mucho menos entre los menores de edad. Un proyecto de marihuana recreativa no consiguió votos en la Cámara. (Véase también: Proyecto para regular marihuana en adultos pasó su primer debate)

La ley de drogas de Argentina cumple 30 años este fin de semana, y a pesar de que la Corte Suprema de Justicia recomendó hace una década dejar de perseguir a los usuarios de sustancias psicoactivas con el trascendental fallo Arriola, las estadísticas muestran que hay casi tantos detenidos por tenencia de sustancias o cultivo de cannabis que por comercialización. El ministerio de Seguridad que dirige Patricia Bullrich es sólo un eslabón más del mecanismo de fondos públicos que en los últimos tres años gastó 122 millones de dólares en perseguir a usuarios de drogas y cultivadores de marihuana, según un informe realizado por RESET, una organización compuesta por abogados, psicólogos, trabajadores sociales, sociólogos, politólogos, licenciados en comunicación y estudiantes.

At least 165 more British Columbians died of illicit drug overdoses in the first month of 2021, more than double the number of deaths recorded last January. An average of more than five people died each day in the deadliest January recorded since the overdose crisis was declared a public health emergency nearly five years ago in April 2016. January was the 10th consecutive month where more than 100 people died as pandemic-driven border restrictions contributed to an increasingly toxic street supply, and progress dragged on promises of safer supplies for substance users. The devastating report comes just weeks after the province confirmed 1,726 people died in 2020, making it the deadliest year for overdoses.

In its suggestion to review the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of India has recommended a more humane approach, avoiding prison, for drug users and addicts. In a recommendation the ministry has sought decriminalising possession of small quantities of drugs for personal consumption. It has suggested amendments to the NDPS Act to treat those who use drugs or are dependent on them as victims, to be referred for de-addiction and rehabilitation, and not sentenced to jail. Compulsory treatment in government centres has also been recommended for them. (See also: Use anti-drug fund for de-addiction services, not just policing: Social Justice Ministry)

British Columbia is asking the federal government to grant the province an exemption under federal law to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use. If the request is granted B.C. would become the first jurisdiction in Canada with the exemption. B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson sent a letter to Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu on Feb. 3 formally asking for the exemption. The request is in line with Premier John Horgan’s repeated calls for the federal government to decriminalize small amounts of illicit drugs. (See also: 2020 was B.C.'s deadliest year ever for drug overdoses, coroner says)

A movement is building in the Bahamas to decriminalise marijuana. This follows a town hall meeting held here by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Regional Commission on Marijuana. The initiative is one of several in  Caribbean countries, with some stakeholders eager to join other international communities and embrace the region's marijuana culture. The meeting is part of CARICOM's mandate to ascertain public opinion in CARICOM member-countries on the issue. The Commission was established by CARICOM leaders in 2014 with the objective being to conduct a rigorous enquiry into the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding marijuana use in the Caribbean. (See also: Cabinet to discuss marijuana issue)

The Malaysian Bar has welcomed the government's decision to decriminalise drugs, saying that these reforms are essential to a holistic drug policy. Malaysian Bar president Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor said the effectiveness of the hardline prohibitionist approach was questionable. "The incarceration of persons with addiction to illicit drugs — often in detention centres that are overcrowded and in deplorable conditions — does little to help them 'get clean' but often exposes them and their families to additional risks of harm," he said in a statement. Based on research findings in other jurisdictions, drug law reform in the form of the decriminalisation of illicit drug use — in favour of a more progressive harm reduction approach — is a prudent and progressive step for the Government to take in its drug policy.

Councillors in Berlin have voted to launch the country's first cannabis cafe in their district. A large majority in the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg council have backed the move as part of efforts to curb local drug dealing, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily reports. District Mayor Monika Herrmann says the "prohibition policy" of the past few decades has failed: "We now have to think about offbeat solutions." (See also: Berlin borough pushing for Germany’s first cannabis coffee-shop | Kreuzberg stimmt für Coffeeshop)

A coalition of political parties in the German capital agreed to push for partial decriminalization of cannabis. The initial effects will be limited. Berlin's Social Democrats, the Greens and the Left Party agreed to seek a "scientifically monitored pilot project for the controlled distribution of cannabis to adults." The initiative could be a step toward getting marijuana decriminalized. In the past attempts by city districts to legalize pot foundered on the Federal Intoxicants Law, which bans cannabis. The city, which is also one of Germany's 16 federal states, has better chances for success. (See also: Neuer Senat will Cannabis aus Apotheken - nicht aus Coffee-Shops)

A new marijuana policy could make it legal for individuals to posses up to 15 grams (0.5 ounces) of the drug in the German capital. The regulation would make Berlin among the most cannabis-friendly in Europe. German federal law prohibits the possession of marijuana beyond a "small amount" but leaves it up to the states to determine exactly what that amount should be. Most states, including Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin, define a "small amount" as 6 grams.

The new Progressive Labour Party (PLP) government says it will introduce legislation to decriminalise cannabis possession if the amount is under seven grams, Governor John Rankin announced. “The criminalisation of our citizens for minor, non-violent possession of cannabis is an open sore on our society, damaging the lives of hundreds of Bermudians, young and old,” Rankin, said as he delivered the traditional throne speech at the start of the new parliament. “This is also an issue of fairness as black people in our society are far more likely to be arrested, charged and convicted for cannabis possession than white people.” (See also: An Analysis of Cannabis Reform in Bermuda)

A refined draft bill to lay the legal groundwork for a regulated adult-use cannabis regime in Bermuda will soon be presented to the island’s legislature. That puts the British island territory among a small group of countries where the establishment of a regulated industry for recreational marijuana is under active consideration. Bermuda recently concluded month-long public consultations over the proposed law and policy document outlining how a regulated cannabis market would look on the island. The proposal is a major pivot from the government’s previous plan to establish a medical industry. That plan was scrapped after it was concluded it “did not go far enough to meet public expectation,” the attorney-general said. (See also: New cannabis law ‘will help overcome stigma’)

In recent years, the international debate on drug policy reform has intensified, and with it has come a productive exchange of information between academics, activists and advocates on the diverse models and approaches in different countries. Portugal’s decriminalization model is the subject of numerous reports and articles, the legalization of cannabis in a number of U.S. states and Uruguay is heavily studied. Heroin-Assisted Treatment (HAT) in Switzerland is often discussed, and the Czech Republic’s progressive drug policy has been much heralded. On the outside looking in is Spain, a country with a curious mix of cannabis clubs, decriminalization of drug possession for personal use, innovative harm reduction policies, drug checking, and more. It also occupies an interesting geographical position as a transit hub for drugs entering Europe from the Americas and North Africa. Yet in mainstream drug policy discussions, little is known of the Spanish approach to drug policy, with the possible exception of cannabis clubs.

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