Prague, May 7 (CTK) – More than 5000 people took part in the 19th Million Marihuana March in support of the legalisation of marihuana in Prague on Saturday, according to the estimates of the organisers, and various events will be held on Letna Plain until this evening.
The participants demand the legalisation of the growing and possession of hemp and products from if for one’s own needs, not only for treatment, but also recreation.
The demonstration was supervised by dozens of police because it hampered transport in the city, but no incidents have been reported.
Some participants in the two-hour march carried pirate flags and posters with inscriptions in support of marihuana smoking.
The march was organised by the Legalizace.cz NGO with support of the Czech Pirate Party.
“We have welcomed that Czech legislation has been changed and that it recognises that hemp has curative effects. But hemp is not available, or only for money. There are various problems with health insurance companies,” the Pirates’ chairman Ivan Bartos told CTK.
His party together with the Green Party prepared an amendment to the law that would allow the growing of marihuana.
Aobut 50 people also demonstrated peacefully in support of legalisation of marihuana in Ostrava, north Moravia.
The use of marihuana for other than curative purposes is illegal in the Czech Republic. It is only available on an electronic prescription for people suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis and AIDS.
The KOPAC patients’ association says most patients do not have money for hemp which is expensive.
Health Minister Svatopluk Nemecek has said his ministry could have the results of a research into the effects of curative hemp on patients within a year.
