Select a language
All solutions are worth considering in times of crisis. That is the conclusion reached by the administration of Rasquera, a Catalan village that voted to revive the local economy by renting land to the Asociación Barcelonesa Cannábica de Autoconsumo (ABCDA) [Barcelona Association for Home Consumption of Cannabis] and allowing it to grow marijuana. On the town mayor's approval, the proposition was submitted to a village-wide referendum on April 10th and passed with 56.3% of the vote.
For Catalan daily El Periódico, the "weak 'yes' in Rasquera" is for -
... a project inspired by the urgent need for city hall to find receipts to reduce its voluminous debt of 1.3 million euros for a population of barely one thousand inhabitants.
But the feasibility of the project remains unsure because it is contested in the courts by both regional and central government. "The debate over the legal vacuum surrounding the cultivation and possession of not-for-profit marijuana is swelling," adds El Periódico, for which the results of the referendum confirm that -
... society's view of soft drugs has changed towards a greater tolerance [as proven] by this modest, but significant, example of active democracy at a time when citizens are disenchanted with their political representatives.
Was this article useful? If so we are delighted!
It is freely available because we believe that the right to free and independent information is essential for democracy. But this right is not guaranteed forever, and independence comes at a cost. We need your support in order to continue publishing independent, multilingual news for all Europeans.
Discover our subscription offers and their exclusive benefits and become a member of our community now!
