Last Saturday, activists from Green Sensation, a Taiwanese cannabis law reform association, called for the decriminalization of cannabis on the island of Taiwan.
A series of entertainment and musical performances were planned in Taipei with non-governmental organizations participating in the event starting at 4:20 p.m. to march to the legislature.
“Our movement has come under increasing attack this year, and we have faced coordinated efforts to disparage us, including misinformation and fake news circulating online by conservative religious groups with the help of forces pan-blue policies,” said group spokesperson Chung Ho-yun.
“In fact, the harsh crackdown on cannabis was done by Justice Department officials under the administration of the Democratic Progressive Party,” the party currently in power, he added.
However, activists have successfully defended their freedom of expression and their right to personal belief.
“It shows that Taiwan still needs to work on transitional justice and ease the crackdown on cannabis, as we have to constantly fight against conservative forces,” he added.
This is the fifth year that the event has taken place in Taiwan, a few days from 420. A petition had gathered last year more than 14,000 signatures in favor of the legalization of cannabis in this country of 23 million inhabitants. .
“We call on society and lawmakers to stop the crackdown on cannabis,” he said. “We urge decriminalization and call on the Department of Justice and the courts to end their so-called ‘war on cannabis’ which targets the younger generation.”
Mr Chung called on the government to allow products containing 0.3% THC, in line with regulations in many countries, and to follow the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, which decided to remove cannabis from its list of narcotics in 2020.
“The Department of Justice and Legislators [taïwanais] should do the same and amend the Narcotics Risk Prevention Act,” he said.
Cannabis is illegal in Taiwan. It is classified as a category 2 narcotic by the Narcotic Risk Prevention Act (Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act) in Taiwan. Persons who manufacture, transport or sell category 2 narcotics are liable to life imprisonment or a fixed term imprisonment of at least 10 years, as well as a maximum fine of 15 million Taiwan dollars (450,000 euros).
