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Belgium on the brink of cannabis reform
The association Trekt Uw Plant organises next Saturday, 3 May, on the Vrijdagmarkt in Antwerpen the Worldwide Marijuana March.
4-30-'08 | pr.Cannazine.co.uk

This manifestation is organised yearly since 1996 in more than 230 cities in the world, and is meant as a protest against the worldwide prohibition of the production and consumption of the cannabis plant.

The Worldwide Marijuana March is not a blow in. The organisers do not call upon anyone to consume cannabis in the public space, on the contrary. We believe the use of cannabis or any other drug, legal or illegal, is a private matter that does not need to provoke anyone.

The manifestation is meant as a political and cultural statement. In between performances of poets and musicians the members of Trekt Uw Plant will inform the public on the positive applications of hemp and cannabis. The cultivation of industrial hemp could become an important perspective in the search for sustainable alternatives to fulfil our needs for energy, textile, paper, construction materials and food.

Some members of Trekt Uw Plant will each plant one cannabis seed and take it home with them afterwards. From this seed a plant will grow that they are allowed to possess, according to a ministerial guideline of 25 January 2005. This guideline states that the possession of max. 3 grammes of cannabis or 1 plant by an adult person, without any aggravating circumstances, will only be sanctioned with a simplified police record (VPV). A VPV does not lead to criminal persecution. The cannabis cannot be confiscated, if the person involved does not give permission for this.

Trekt Uw Plant has been established to support all Belgian people who regularly use cannabis, be it for medicinal or recreational means, in growing their private cannabis plant. To become a member of Trekt Uw Plant one has to be adult, reside in Belgium and be a cannabis consumer. Every member of Trekt Uw Plant can contact the association for advise and support in growing his/her cannabis plant.

In december 2006 Trekt Uw Plant established a collective plantation in which every member would grow one plant. The implementation of this proposal was then blocked by the Antwerp prosecutor, and the definitive legal verdict in this case has not been produced yet. Meanwhile, the Antwerp judge has declared that the right of association is guaranteed by the Constitution and therefore, the existence of Trekt Uw Plant as such is not illegal at all.

On May 3 2008 some members of Trekt Uw Plant will each plant their own cannabis seed in a pot. These pots will not be put together in a plantation. Each of the members will keep his private pot with him, and take it home. From each private seed a private cannabis plant will grow.

As tolerated by the Belgian law.

The Youth section of the Flemish extreme right wing party Vlaams Belang (VBJ) have called for a counterdemonstration against this event. Three years ago, in the similar demonstration of the VBJ, a stink bomb was thrown that affected a group of people who assisted a funeral that passed the square where the WMM took place.

Trekt Uw Plant wants to discuss with everyone, also with VBJ. But we wish to do that in a respectful way. We respect anyone’s freedom of speech, we hope that VBJ can show the same respect.

On 3 May, in fact the Belgian state of law will be tested. After years of parliamentary debate the conclusion was that the possession of cannabis for personal consumption would be respected. Every effort to disturb the planting of a cannabis seed, by the legal authorities or others, means this principle is violated. That can only benefit those who do not profit from this principle: the criminal organisations.

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SWP



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