Medical Marijuana Legislation (Europe)

In most European countries, the recreational use of marijuana still remains illegal. While it is considered a criminal offense in most countries—thus punishable by serving jail time—there has been an effort to reduce imprisonment among people using marijuana, especially for personal use. Some countries have removed the possibility of serving jail time for marijuana-related offenses entirely, and others have decriminalized the personal possession of cannabis, making it only punishable by noncriminal means, typically by paying a fine; however, cultivation and distribution of the drug remain serious offenses. Much of the discussion on drug control in Europe focuses on the drug supply and trafficking. Cannabis seizures make up 80 percent of all drugs confiscated in Europe with 78 percent reported drug offenses also being marijuana related, ...