The vice leader in Oslo wants state-owned hash sales

The vice leader in Oslo.....Khamshajiny Gunaratnam.Photo: Vidar Ruud / NTB scanpix

Arbeiderpartiet (Ap) should support regulated sales of cannabis to prevent organised criminals from gaining a foothold for millions,” said Oslo’s mayor, Kamzy Gunaratnam (Ap).

 

“We must remove the economic basis for organised crime.Today, we give them a market that they can use to build themselves up’’, Gunaratnam told Klassekampen
newspaper.

Gunaratnam initially envisages a test scheme and believes we should learn from other countries that have tried and succeeded with state sales of cannabis.

Already in 2008, Statistics Norway (SSB) estimated that cannabis sales alone accounted for NOK 400 million on a national basis. Growth in the gang membership and gang violence in Oslo has revived the debate about state sales of cannabis.

Oslo Ap presented a proposal for public sale of cannabis for the first time at the annual meeting in March 2018. Two thirds of the delegates voted no. Gunaratnam believes the development in Oslo shows that a new debate is needed on the question-

“I voted for legalisation, but our formal position is that we are against that. I am loyal to our position, but it is fundamental to social democratic thinking that when you gain new knowledge you have to change the policy,” said Gunaratnam.

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today