Soft drugs “legalized” in Czechia due to translation inaccuracy
As soon as Czechs adopted some amendments to the drug law, “le-ga-lize” echoed all over Europe. Many people started painting pictures of others growing marijuana bushes on balconies and carrying snuff-boxes “with the allowed amount” to smoke it when they have a good moment for it… But these “pictures” are only a creative interpretation of the law. What is really legal in the Czech Republic? “Nothing! Nothing is legal! You are mistaken”, - said Kamil Kalina from the Government Council for Drug Policy Coordination. He was indignant at the fact that foreign journalists including ERB reporters still kept asking him about some “legalization”.
“All neighbouring countries misunderstood us. All of them – Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria!”, - Mr. Kalian started complaining but confessed that Czechs contributed to the misunderstanding:
Kamil Kalina: “The English translation of the Drug Report the Czech press service sent abroad contained a stylistic mistake – the term “legalization” was used there. We spent a very difficult night trying to find the reason for the misunderstanding that had occurred abroad and one more night to correct it”.
So what does the Czech law says now? In fact, it is the same as 10 years ago.
“Nobody legalized anything, if you try to look into it. We simply described the exact amount of the drug that used to be called “the amount exceeding the smallest”. Now this is specific “15, 10, 20”. Nothing else has changed. If you have less than the indicated amount of the drug on you it is considered an administrative violation. However, nobody cares. Probably, it is not that bad”, - Andrei Karanevich, a Belarusian who had been living in Prague for a few years, explained to ERB.
So, if somebody has “a little marijuana” - it means that they have violated the law. But they will not be imprisoned for it, they will be taken to ... a bank, to pay the fine of ... 200 euro.
Let us leave governmental offices and take a walk across Prague now. .
A concert dated for the Europe Day in the old Market in Prague. It is raining, but people are not leaving – they are listening to a beatbox band from Austria – and somebody starts smoking a joint nearby... A policeman walks past – no reaction.
Another situation: late at night in a bar, I ask for a menu and start choosing what kind of beer to order. A waitress sits down nearby and lights ... a joint. She doesn’t even try to hide.
We are walking past a school and see teenagers who ... are smoking a joint boldly! And nobody is paying attention to them.
“To tell you the truth, I am surprised with what you are telling me”, - commented an official from the Government Council for Drug Policy Coordination.
However, nothing can surprise ordinary people:
“There was indulgence even before the Drug Law. Czechia is the leader when it comes to this shit in Europe. I do not know anything about other drugs – but weed is smoked here more than in any other European country”, - said Andrei Karanevich.
Having talked to one more drug specialist, Mr. David Miller, who had worked in the centre for drug addicts for many years, ERB found out one more peculiar detail:
David Miller: “Some Czech policemen tell their subordinates to hunt for potheads in their free time if they like. They have to deal with those who are involved in crimes connected with the hard drugs at work”.
Having spent 10 days in Czechia, we started thinking that Czechs did not care about marijuana. If you do not take part in “Marijuana marches” and do not shout “Legalization”, most likely nobody will pay attention to you no matter what you smoke.
Photo by: Mila Kotka
Take part in the contest “Czech Teleport” and win 2 tickets to Prague!
“All neighbouring countries misunderstood us. All of them – Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria!”, - Mr. Kalian started complaining but confessed that Czechs contributed to the misunderstanding:
Kamil Kalina: “The English translation of the Drug Report the Czech press service sent abroad contained a stylistic mistake – the term “legalization” was used there. We spent a very difficult night trying to find the reason for the misunderstanding that had occurred abroad and one more night to correct it”.
So what does the Czech law says now? In fact, it is the same as 10 years ago.
“Nobody legalized anything, if you try to look into it. We simply described the exact amount of the drug that used to be called “the amount exceeding the smallest”. Now this is specific “15, 10, 20”. Nothing else has changed. If you have less than the indicated amount of the drug on you it is considered an administrative violation. However, nobody cares. Probably, it is not that bad”, - Andrei Karanevich, a Belarusian who had been living in Prague for a few years, explained to ERB.
So, if somebody has “a little marijuana” - it means that they have violated the law. But they will not be imprisoned for it, they will be taken to ... a bank, to pay the fine of ... 200 euro.
Let us leave governmental offices and take a walk across Prague now. .
A concert dated for the Europe Day in the old Market in Prague. It is raining, but people are not leaving – they are listening to a beatbox band from Austria – and somebody starts smoking a joint nearby... A policeman walks past – no reaction.
Another situation: late at night in a bar, I ask for a menu and start choosing what kind of beer to order. A waitress sits down nearby and lights ... a joint. She doesn’t even try to hide.
We are walking past a school and see teenagers who ... are smoking a joint boldly! And nobody is paying attention to them.
“To tell you the truth, I am surprised with what you are telling me”, - commented an official from the Government Council for Drug Policy Coordination.
However, nothing can surprise ordinary people:
“There was indulgence even before the Drug Law. Czechia is the leader when it comes to this shit in Europe. I do not know anything about other drugs – but weed is smoked here more than in any other European country”, - said Andrei Karanevich.
Having talked to one more drug specialist, Mr. David Miller, who had worked in the centre for drug addicts for many years, ERB found out one more peculiar detail:
David Miller: “Some Czech policemen tell their subordinates to hunt for potheads in their free time if they like. They have to deal with those who are involved in crimes connected with the hard drugs at work”.
Having spent 10 days in Czechia, we started thinking that Czechs did not care about marijuana. If you do not take part in “Marijuana marches” and do not shout “Legalization”, most likely nobody will pay attention to you no matter what you smoke.
Photo by: Mila Kotka
Take part in the contest “Czech Teleport” and win 2 tickets to Prague!
