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DRUGS

Body Shop hemp ad falls foul of Swedish authority

The use of hemp leaves in an advert commissioned by ethical cosmetics chain The Body Shop, has been condemned by a Swedish municipality, which has claimed that it hampers work to tackle youth drug use.

Body Shop hemp ad falls foul of Swedish authority

Örebro municipality’s crime prevention unit, Örebrå, paid a visit The Body Shop on the central Sweden city’s main Drottningatan shopping street last Friday to inform the firm that its posters gratuitously displaying the leaf of the Cannabis sativa plant (industrial hemp), were not acceptable.

“They argued that the use of the hemp leaf in the posters was offensive and provocative and that it undermined their work to tackle youth drug abuse,” said Karin Wickberg Taylar, press spokesperson for The Body Shop Sweden, to The Local on Wednesday.

Wickberg Taylar told The Local that the firm has no intention however of bowing to the municipality’s demands.

“We are not going to discontinue our poster campaign because of this. This product has nothing to do with the drug and there is no rhyme nor reason to Örebro’s actions.”

Wickberg Taylar said that a lack of knowledge over industrial hemp – a product commonly used in a slew of everyday items – lays behind the crime prevention unit’s demands.

“They argued that the hemp leaf is the most common trademark for selling the drug. But this has nothing to do with the drug.”

“We have long had a hemp series in our assortment. We recently decided to market the products a little more as they help against dry skin – a common problem in the colder autumn climate.”

The humble hemp leaf is also a common feature of The Body Shop’s global marketing, Wickberg Taylar underlined, and while problems have been few, authorities have on occasion reacted.

“We have had some problems in France. But in France there is clear legislation on this type of thing. In Sweden, there is not – we are doing nothing illegal.”

The Body Shop Sweden furthermore intends to continue to actively promote its products with the help of the hemp leaf, as the firm feels that light needs to be shed on an often cloudy issue.

“We hope that the campaign will in fact help to play down the issue, to remove the secrecy over the product. Hemp can be found in cosmetics, clothing, in plastics – it is nothing that is at all strange in our society,” Karin Wickberg Taylar told The Local.

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DRUGS

Germany should make cannabis available at pharmacies not ‘coffee shops’, says FDP boss

Germany's possible new government could well relax the country's strict cannabis laws. But FDP leader Christian Lindner says he doesn't want to go down the Netherlands route.

A demonstrator smokes a joint at the pro-cannabis Hanfparade in Berlin in August 2021.
A demonstrator smokes a joint at the pro-cannabis Hanfparade in Berlin in August 2021. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Annette Riedl

The Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) are set to engage in coalition talks in a bid to become the next German government.  And the future of cannabis will likely be one of the topics to be thrashed out.

In drug policy, the three parties are not too far apart in their positions. So it’s possible that the drug could be decriminalised.

However, nothing is set in stone and the parties still haven’t come to a common line on the question of where and to what extent cannabis could be accessed. 

The leader of the Liberal FDP, Christian Lindner, has now come out in favour of allowing cannabis products such as hashish to be sold in a controlled manner. 

Consumers should be allowed “to purchase a quantity for their own use, for example, in a pharmacy after health education,” Lindner told a live broadcast on German daily Bild on Sunday.

Lindner said he was sceptical about the sale in “coffee shops” according to the Dutch model. “I am in favour of controlled distribution, and therefore health education must be able to take place,” he said.

READ MORE: Patients in Germany still face hurdles accessing medical marijuana

People in the Netherlands can access cannabis products in coffee shops under the country’s tolerant drugs policy. However coffee shops have to follow certain strict conditions. For instance they are not allowed to sell large quantities to an individual. 

Lindner said his main aims were about “crime and health prevention” and not with “legalising a right to intoxication”.

It’s not clear if Lindner advocates for prescription-only cannabis for medical use, or an over-the-counter model. 

The FDP previously said that they they are in favour of the creation of licensed shops. Their manifesto highlights the health benefits, tax windfalls and reallocation of police resources that legalisation would create.

The Green party also want licensed shops, as well as a whole new approach to drug control starting with the controlled legalisation of marijuana. The Greens state that “strict youth and user protection” would be the centre point of their legislation and hope to “pull the rug from under the black market”.

The SPD also want a reform of Germany’s prohibition stance – but are more cautious than the smaller parties on the legalisation aspect. They would like to initially set up pilot projects. 

READ ALSO: Why Germany could be on the brink of legalising cannabis

Controversial topic

So far, the sale of cannabis is officially banned in Germany. Possession of cannabis is also currently illegal across the entire country. Those caught carrying the substance can face anything from a fine to five years in jail.

However, the justice system generally looks away if you are caught carry small quantities for personal use unless you have a previous conviction.

The definition of personal use differs from state to state, with Berlin having the most liberal rules and Bavaria the tightest.

It is estimated that around four million people regularly use cannabis in Germany.

Representatives of police unions in Germany have warned against legalisation. They argue that cannabis is an often trivialised drug that can lead to considerable health problems and social conflicts, especially among young people.

Oliver Malchow, from the GdP police union, said that “it doesn’t make any sense to legalise another dangerous drug on top of alcohol”.

The current Ministry of Health also continues to oppose the legalisation of cannabis, a spokesperson for Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) made clear. Cannabis is a dangerous substance and therefore legalisation is not advisable, the spokesman said. 

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