“It is time for the legalization of the production, processing and use of marijuana,” said Vasil Bozhkov.
National movement CENTER, with which Vasil Bozhkov appeared in the elections as the leader of the lists in 25 MIR Sofia and Pazardzhik and first in the lists for the Eurovote, has a program for the decriminalization and legalization of hemp in Bulgaria.
“It is high time to stop the racket against the manufacturers. "Young people cannot be imprisoned for one joint cigarette, a plant that has proven its medicinal properties cannot be banned," said the businessman.
As early as 2021, Vasil Bozhkov has been talking about the legalization of marijuana not only for medical, but also for personal use, in order to stop the hidden market, punishments for young people and to develop the economic potential of the production of industrial hemp.< /p>
The unpunished “personal dose”, no matter how minimal it is, has been criminalized in Bulgaria for 20 years. Currently, according to Bulgarian legislation, possession of even milligrams of cannabis is punishable by imprisonment from 1 to 6 years and a fine from BGN 2,000 to 10,000.
In the past few years, three parliaments have rejected vague and hastily written bills to amend the Narcotic Substances and Precursors Control Act that would have decriminalized cannabis.
Vasil Bozhkov declared for the legal use of marijuana in regulated places, as it is in many countries in Europe and around the world. The freest European country in this regard is the Netherlands, which has this policy in order to reduce the risks and separate the marijuana market from that of psychoactive substances with greater potential for harm.
As of April 1, Germany also allowed the use of cannabis for personal use with a law with strict and clearly spelled out regulations to reduce illegal marijuana trade and monitor the quality of cannabis.
Many scientific studies have demonstrated the therapeutic properties of marijuana and its active substances. Medical cannabis can stimulate appetite (for weight loss due to AIDS, cancer and other therapies), relieve symptoms of mental illness, epilepsy, asthma, cancer and Alzheimer's. It is believed to reduce menstrual pain and limit the risk of obesity and diabetes.
The World Health Organization has recommended that one of the constituents of cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD), not be classified as a controlled substance.
Currently over 40 countries around the world have legalized cannabis for medical and/or personal use. Among the countries where marijuana has been decriminalized and legalized for medical purposes are Portugal, Spain, Italy, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Liechtenstein, Croatia, Israel, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia.
The legalization of cannabis will ensure serious revenues in the state budget, the CENTER movement points out. It will stop the producers' racket, increase the export of Bulgarian goods and bring foreign investors here.
The industrial hemp market has huge potential in agriculture, textiles, recycling, automotive, furniture, food and beverage, paper, building materials and personal care.
With the rapid growth of the CBD market and the growing demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable products, legalization opens up new business opportunities and will bring many economic benefits to Bulgaria.