Vending machines with hemp products an introduction to "clean drugs"? That's what Szczecin's Law and Justice Councilor Krzysztof Romianowski believes. He opposes the increasingly popular vending machines with products such as ointments, teas, dried CBD or hemp CBD oils. What is the reason for the councilman's aversion to hemp seed products? Well, Mr. Romianowski believes, among other things, that such products are an "initiation into the world of pure drugs." We decided to ask the Szczecin councilman on what basis he thinks so, here's what we found out.
Law and Justice councilman: Vending machines with hemp products are an introduction to "clean drugs"?
A Szczecin Law and Justice (PiS) councilman opposes the erection of vending machines with legal cannabis products on the streets of Szczecin. In his opinion, this carries a danger for young people.
- Although, as the owners of these devices declare, these are products with low THC content, an extremely dangerous and addictive substance, the problem is serious and can affect the condition of society. Especially when such devices are located near schools, as was the case in the right bank district of Szczecin. By introducing "safe" varieties of cannabis products, we are creating a certain mechanism to "tame" a whole range of other varieties of the plant, including marijuana, and, going further, a form of initiation into the world of pure drugs. It is no coincidence that vending machines with cannabis products are located precisely near schools. Young people by nature are more inclined to experiment. During this time, the personality is formed, habits are formed that affect all of later life
- said for the wszczecinie.pl portal the PiS politician.
It is clear from the councilman's statement that either he has no idea about cannabis, or this is a play "for the public." This is clearly shown by his statement that THC is an extremely dangerous and addictive substance, while in truth it is more harmful and addictive than marijuana, for example, caffeine - a legal and widely available stimulant.
We decided to ask the councilman where he got such false information in connection with which we asked several questions referring to the questions posed by Mr. Romianowski, here is what we found out:
WeedNews: Where do you get the information that THC (the psychoactive component of cannabis) is extremely dangerous and addictive?
Krzysztof Romianowski: I don't know if this is supposed to be a trick question? Well, it seems that the authors of the amendments to the draft "Medical Marijuana Assumptions for Statutory Amendments" are themselves convinced of the harmfulness of the substance known as THC. In item III. 1. they propose to introduce penalties for drivers found in the blood, precisely THC. Penalties analogous to those already in place for alcohol consumption. Let me just remind you that this team includes, among others, MP Beata Maciejewska (chairwoman) and Adrian Zandberg. Of the nineteen members of the team, as many as twelve of them belong to the Left. Is this team wrong?WN: How can hemp products, made of fiber hemp, be an initiation into the world of drugs, according to you?
KR: There is undoubtedly a subliminal message here linking cannabis and seed hemp. The logos are similar, if not the same. I would add that, according to available information, it is difficult to distinguish between dried seed hemp and cannabis, and this can lead to confusion and abuse. We are also observing an interesting phenomenon of "taming" cannabis or hemp more broadly. It also applies to linguistic forms. What is recreational marijuana? In my opinion, it is one of the steps leading towards the full legalization of marijuana. WN: Have you ever made a similar intervention regarding the sale of non-alcoholic beer to minors in Szczecin?KR: A very good question. Seemingly the problem is similar, but only seemingly. Well, the introduction of non-alcoholic beer is aimed at creating a new quality: a culture of hanging out together, having fun without alcohol. It is to change existing bad habits. Pure alcohol consumption in Poland is alarmingly high. The average alcohol consumption in Poland is higher than the European average - according to WHO data, Poland had an average of 10.4 liters of pure ethyl alcohol per capita in 2016.
The situation with cannabis is exactly the opposite. According to a 2009 survey of a representative sample of adult Poles (aged 15 to 75), only 5% of respondents had some experience with marijuana. Prevention is most needed here. It is necessary to react to attempts to expand forms of selling potentially dangerous products. - In one thing, of course, we must agree, prevention is most advisable, but not prevention based on frightening, criminalization, but on educating the youth. As long as our authorities represent such views as the Szczecin Law and Justice councilor - so long will the number of very young people reaching for marijuana grow, and the billions of dollars of profits instead of the state coffers - will feed the budgets of the mafia, such is the concern of politicians for their people. The owner says that his vending machines with cannabis products from the streets of Szczecin will not disappear, and even more of them will appear.
