It's time to regulate cannabis

Date: 06.04.2018

''Kindly invited to become acquainted with the statements that were given to the public as a part of the project of the Declaration of Principles for the regulation of cannabis in the Republic of Slovenia. You are also invited to read the April's edition of the VIVA magazine where an article about the declaration will be published.''

Andreja Cerenak

Andreja Čerenak, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

(biotehnology, plant breeding, biology)
Head of the Research Group, Department for Plants, Soil and the Environment, Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing

»With appropriate legal regulation of this area, of course implementing appropriate safety measures, Slovenia could be one of the leading countries in research, production and processing in Europe and also in the world. I wonder why it is possible to import plant material with higher THC content for research purposes, but we are not allowed to produce it ourselves? Why would Slovenia not enable the creation of new jobs, gaining of new knowledge for researchers and new medicinal products manufactured in Slovenia for patients? Why not be among the first?«

The presented statements express the points of view of the authors and not necessarily also of the organizations they are affiliated with.


VitoFlaker

Vito Flaker, Ph.D., Professor

(social work, social sciences)
Researcher, author, full professor; Institute ICANNA, head of the Dubrovnik School of social work theory & practice, Chair of Community mental Health, Faculty of social work, Ljubljana

»The drug policy based primarily on the prohibition, popularly called" The war on drugs ", has proved to be rather inadequate, ineffective and ethically questionable. Not only its protagonists have lost this "war" but all of us.«

The presented statements express the points of view of the authors and not necessarily also of the organizations they are affiliated with.


Annmarie Gorenc

Annmarie Gorenc Zoran, Ph.D., Associate Professor

(political science, education, ICT)
Faculty of Organisation Studies, Novo mesto

»I very supportive of the content of the Declaration of Principles for the regulation of cannabis in Slovenia, as I believe that this area should be properly regulated as soon as possible. The ban on the use of cannabis and inadequate control are both ineffective and harmful. Scientific supported use of cannabis for medical purposes is necessary, research in this area needs to be accelerated, and education on the safe use of cannabis is urgently needed.«

The presented statements express the points of view of the authors and not necessarily also of the organizations they are affiliated with.


Goran Gumze

Goran Gumze, Ph.D.

(medical anthropology)
Head of Internationale Office, Alma Mater Europaea – European Center, Maribor

»I’m striving for regulation within the medical profession and also for complete decriminalization. In particular, I would emphasize that we need to ensure access to natural cannabis and preparations from it. Hemp/Cannabis has been indispensable in the production of fibers, oils and medicinal preparations already before the industrial revolution and its following criminalization.«

The presented statements express the points of view of the authors and not necessarily also of the organizations they are affiliated with.


No Image

Andreja Hočevar, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

(pedagogy)
Faculty of Arts Ljubljana

»The data on the use of cannabis in the population under the age of 18 in Slovenia are eloquent. The ban on the use of cannabis has had a different effect than desired. I believe that the implementation of the suggestions proposed by the Declaration is an appropriate answer to the fear that the proposed regulation of cannabis would increase the use of this substance among this population.«

The presented statements express the points of view of the authors and not necessarily also of the organizations they are affiliated with.


Manca Kosir

Manca Košir, Ph.D., Associate Professor

(journalism, sociology, philology, mathematics, physics)
Retired Professor, Hospic – volunteer to monitor dying, Founder of the Movement for the Sustainable Development of Slovenia TRS

»What we see happening with the ban on cannabis is a consequence of our country lacking a vision for this by field. I wish that the matters concerning this useful plant would finally be settled.«

The presented statements express the points of view of the authors and not necessarily also of the organizations they are affiliated with.

FOTO: Mateja Jordanič Potočnik - M. v modri kapi


Dubrovnik

Rajko Muršič, Ph.D., Professor

(ethnology, philosophy, cultural anthropology)
Faculty of Arts Ljubljana, University of Eastern Finland, President of the Slovenian Ethnological and Anthropological Association, Vice President of the International Union of Anthropological and ethnological Sciences

»Cannabis is an old and versatile culture crop that in the past helped in the survival of small Slovenian farmers, that is why the ban on its cultivation made a deep cut in the traditional and sustainable agriculture in Slovenian countryside. If our ancestors knew how to live with it, there is no reason that today's and future generations could not live with it. Its contemporary uses only emphasize its versatile value.«

The presented statements express the points of view of the authors and not necessarily also of the organizations they are affiliated with.


Davida L. Nathana

David L. Nathan, M.D., D.F.A.P.A.

(psychiatry)
Founder and Board President of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation; Clinical Associate Professor, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; Distinguished Fellow, American Psyhiatric Association

»The data from countries in which the use of cannabis is not only regulated but also legalized, show a far more positive than negative picture. All the circumstances are not ideal, but they are far better than during the prohibition and criminalization.«

The presented statements express the points of view of the authors and not necessarily also of the organizations they are affiliated with.


David

David Neubauer, M.D., Ph.D., Professor

(paediatrics, child neurology)
Researcher, author, senior councilor, full and visiting professor; Expert Council of the Institute ICANNA, Faculty of Medicine, Ljubljana, The Division of Paediatrics, UMCL, Chairman of the Children's Neurology Foundation, Managing Board of the Pediatric Association

»The implementation of the Declaration of the principles for the regulation of cannabis will also enable us to conduct a quality clinical and research study on the effects of cannabis for medical purposes on some of the most severe conditions in childhood neurology, such as persistent epilepsy and severe forms of cerebral palsy.
Only in such a way can we justify and validate the use of cannabis for medical purposes, which will be supported by expert and scientific domestic research.«

The presented statements express the points of view of the authors and not necessarily also of the organizations they are affiliated with.


Soltes

Igor Šoltes, Ph.D.

(law, social sciences)
Member of European Parliament, the Greens / European Free Aliance, i.canna.blog January 2017

»I support the Declaration, because I am personally convinced that the ban on cannabis is ineffective and harmful, and the appropriate regulation of this area is necessary. For many years, patients and civil society have drawn attention to the urgent need for legislative changes in this area and the senselessness of the current situation.«

The presented statements express the points of view of the authors and not necessarily also of the organizations they are affiliated with.



Gregor Tevz

Gregor Tevž, Ph.D.

(microbiology, biomedicine)
Australian prostate cancer research center – Queensland, Australian-Canadian Prostate Cancer Research Alliance

»The ban on cannabis prevents research and use for beneficial purposes, although cannabis/hemp is certainly the least harmful (in terms of abuse). Criminalization is a prejudice of the past and I urge Slovenia to join modern democracies that have recognized the health benefits of cannabis and have seen that criminalization of cannabis does not lead to less use, but to organized criminal distribution.«

The presented statements express the points of view of the authors and not necessarily also of the organizations they are affiliated with.

I.CANNA.BLOG

Male, 47 years old Burnout JANUARY 2021
Dr. Arno Hazekamp Cannabis in the Netherlands DECEMBER 2020