The case study of Denmark Pernille Skipper Member of Parliament, Red Green Alliance.

The case study of Denmark

Pernille Skipper

Member of Parliament,

Red Green Alliance

ChristianiaAn Example of a regulated cannabis Market?

ChristianiaEstablished in 1971. Christiania had – among other things – an open sale of Cannabis in “pusher street”.Rules applied by Christiania:- No other drugs allowed and not present- No sale to children under the age of 15Police did not intervene but carried out other regular police actions in the area.

• 2002-03: Minister of Justice initiates a public debat on the future of Christiania/pusher street• 2003: Police Director warns that if police are to enforce laws on cannabis in Christiania, it will result in spread sale and

easier access to artificial drugs and not effect sale all together• 2004: Pusher Street is cleared in large police action on political demand• Sale is spread trough out Copenhagen and tension between gangs and Hells Angel rises in conflict on area and market

control• 2008: Disputes on the division of areas of sale result in shootings in the streets of Copenhagen. Named “The Gang War”• Shootings have since happened with regular intervals and the dispute is still concerning cannabis Market. Police say

openly that the issue can not be solved trough police action alone.• Police are no longer able to carry out other police affairs on regular basis in Christiania

From a fairly controlled market to Gang violence in less than five Years

Not a question of liberalisation but of regulation

Harm Reduction initiativesHeroin Treatment and Consumption Rooms

13.000 active injection drug users in Denmark.

245-245 Mortalities each Year

Harm Reduction Initiatives

• Heroin Treatment Program– Initiated in 2010 in 5 Cities.– 200 people in treatment today– July 2013 expanded to consumption in pill form – Normalisation in everyday life, crime reduction, jobs, family life etc.

• Consumption Rooms – Established 2012 in Copenhagen. Expanded to two other Cities in

2013.– Presence of health care personnel and combined with general

health care– First 99 days in Odense - 11 potential fatal Overdoses– In Average 3,7 kilos of drug related trash before opening of

consumption rooms. Now only 1,6 kilo.

Status of the public debat

• Discussion on decriminalization of Cannabis– More than 80 % of adult population have tried

smoking Cannabis. Fairly normal and socially accepted.

– City Council of Copenhagen have requested an opportunity to have publicly based sale on trial basis

– Public Opinion; 52% agree. Only 25% disagree– Not a debat on liberalisation but on regulation

• Harm Reduction is broadly accepted as the best approach to lower Mortality

Legal Issues

• Possession of Cannabis is illegal but until recently rarely enforced by Police– Sale, trafficking etc. is (of course) illegal and enforced– Only punishable by fine– New Strategy of new Minister of Justice?

• Criminalization of other drugs have been actively enforced by Police– Heroin Treatment legal by health care law and provided by public– Now legal to posses and inject inside Consumption Rooms by

means of health care law– Consumption Rooms have meant “gentlemen agreement” with

Police in areas surrounding but still unsolved legal issue– NGO’s are pleading with police not to stress users