– Vedum’s “war on drugs” will fail. We do not solve the crime challenges by sending more police to the young people who get drunk. We must throttle the gangs’ most important source of income: the sale of drugs, says party leader Arild Hermstad in the Green Party to news. Hermstad meets news at Vaterland in Oslo, where the sale of drugs has taken place quite openly for many years. VATERLAND: Arild Hermstad believes the state should take over the sale of cannabis, which today takes place illegally in Vaterland and elsewhere in Oslo. Photo: Magnus Thoren / news He has no faith in the strategy against youth crime that SP leader and finance minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum presented in VG earlier this week. It is particularly the point about “stopping drugs”, including by giving the police more tools for control and sanctions, that provokes the MDG leader. – Instead of trying the Swedes’ failed drug policy, punishing drug users and not daring to take up the debate on legalisation, the government must learn from Germany and a number of other countries, says Hermstad. State drug sales Hermstad wants to end penalties for use and possession of drugs for personal use. He wants to legalize cannabis and allow regulated sales in the public sector. The purpose is to choke off the source of income for the criminals. NO FAITH: Arild Hermstad in MDG has no faith in the government’s strategy. Photo: Magnus Thoren / news – In this way, we will take away the gangs’ most important source of income, namely the illegal sale of cannabis. It helps that some earn a fortune and become role models for young people, who experience alienation and a lack of mastery, says Hermstad. – Why stop with cannabis and not allow the sale of other and heavier substances? – The main challenge today is that the youth gangs live quite high on cannabis sales. That is their main source of income. So we will start with that. – But they make money selling cocaine too, don’t they? – It is clear that there is also illegal trade in alcohol and a bunch of other drugs. But if you start by regulating cannabis, you take away the bulk of the economy. Those who believe that cannabis should be legalized point out that the ban in practice does not prevent access to cannabis now. Others are skeptical, and believe there are too many negative effects of cannabis use. Should it be legalized in Norway? The move is just one of several that MDG is now putting forward against youth crime (see fact box). Key words are job initiatives for young people, more area initiatives, strengthening of child protection and mental health protection as well as increased funding for sports and culture. – Unilateral investment in more police and punishment will not work, it is naive to believe, says Hermstad. MDG’s measures against youth crime Increased transfers to area initiatives, youth jobs and early intervention in schools to prevent dropouts and outsiders. Strengthen child protection and invest in interdisciplinary cooperation, such as U16 in Tromsø, where child protection, school, police and parents contribute to early efforts to prevent crime among children under the age of 12-13. More investment in sports, culture and other leisure facilities such as youth clubs, particularly in vulnerable areas. Decriminalization of drugs. Publicly regulated sale of cannabis. Meeting drug users with help rather than punishment. Strengthen correctional services and ensure that all young people serve time in youth prisons and not among adults. Help guarantee for mental health care for young people. MDG will ensure a maximum of one week’s waiting time to determine the first meeting between patient and child. Young people must wait a maximum of 20 days before they get help with drug addiction and mental disorders. Employ more health nurses and social workers in schools and increase competence and resources for mental health in child welfare. Strengthen the EXIT program and expand to more cities than Oslo, to help people out of gang environments. Left-wing support It is the first time that the MDG leader himself has publicly advocated the legalization of cannabis. But last year the party put forward a representative proposal on legalization in the Storting, which was supported by the Liberal Party. The program committee in the Liberal Party is in favor of “strictly regulated sales of cannabis”. If the proposal is adopted by the national assembly next year, it will be the first time that a bourgeois party advocates legalization. But exactly what the public turnover should look like, Venstre deputy leader Sveinung Rotevatn had no answer when Vårt Land challenged him earlier this summer. – I am not going to give any foregone conclusion, but there will be no talk of a liberal regime. There must be strict control over sales and who can buy, replied Rotevatn, who leads the party’s program work ahead of next year’s general election. SV’s justice policy spokesperson Andreas Sjalg Unneland has also advocated legalization. He hopes to get the position into the party program at the national meeting next year. The youth parties of Liberals, MDG, SV, Rødt and Frp are already in favor of legalization and earlier this year Young Conservative leader Ola Svenneby did the same. – If the hashish turnover had been transferred, for example, to pol or the pharmacy, then the income streams for the gangs would have shrunk, Svenneby told VG in May. Flatly rejected Liberals and MDG currently have only eleven out of 169 parliamentary representatives behind them. So the road to the legalization of cannabis is long. At home on the farm in Stange, SP leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum is categorically opposed to legalisation. Like Ap, Frp and KrF, the Center Party will also not decriminalize use and possession, as the previous government advocated. – Saying yes to cannabis, hashish, marijuana will make it more difficult to reduce drug use in Norway. I think it is very unwise, he says to news. NO: Legalizing cannabis is out of the question for the government, says SP leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum. Here with the dog Molly at home on the farm. Photo: Arne Sørenes / news He says the government has started legislative work which will give the police more tools for, among other things, searches. – Giving up, as I feel MDG is doing here, is completely the wrong direction to go. We must strengthen the work of the police and not put a stamp of approval on the use of drugs. – Hermstad says you are waging a war against drugs that will not succeed? – The vast majority of people in Norway do not use drugs. Saying that weed should become legal will make many more people use it. And the craving for that type of drug will only get bigger. Then we have to have our own industry that makes it. I think it is completely wrong, says Vedum. REJECTING: SP leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum. Photo: Arne Sørenes / news – Isn’t it a point that by legalizing drugs, the gangs are depriving the gangs of a large part of their income base? – We have to go after the money flows, and we in the government will do that. But more intoxication creates more problems. We must not pretend, to young people, that it is okay, because it creates so many societal challenges, says Vedum. FRP leader Sylvi Listhaug is also categorical in her rejection of the proposal from the MDG. – To believe that this solves the problem is to believe in Santa Claus. These gangs will still be able to sell cannabis and not least cocaine, heroin and all the other narcotic drugs, she says to news. Published 11.08.2024, at 20.27
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The MDG leader wants the state to sell cannabis – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
