Finnish Cannabis Association
Encyclopedia
The Finnish Cannabis Association (FCA) is a Finnish
non-governmental organisation whose purpose is to advocate legalisation or decriminalisation of cannabis
.
The FCA started operating in 1990 and was officially established in 1991. According its mission statement, the purpose of the accociation is to influence the Finnish legislation
so that adults could legally use, obtain and cultivate cannabis for personal use. The FCA also studies the use of cannabis in different culture
s during different times.
The association had 36 members in 1991, and about 650 in 2000.
countries, and that the tradition of "drug education", based mainly in intimidation and modeled after practices from the United States
and Sweden
, is still quite strong in schools and the media. According to the traditional Finnish mindset, it is preferable to lose control with alcohol
or to even use it excessively over long periods of time, than to experiment with cannabis, which is seen both as very dangerous in itself and as a "gateway drug
".
In 1991 two members of the Finnish parliament representing the Finnish Agrarian Party (now True Finns
) made an inquiry on the legality of the operation of FCA, the with the aim of putting an end to the cannabis organisation. The Ministry of the Interior, which carried out the inspection,
responded that "the association has not operated fundamentally against the law or good customs".
groups. However, a long-standing problem for the association has been that it is not always taken seriously, and instead is dismissed by many as a "bunch of drugged-out hippies".
In recent years perhaps the most visible FCA activity has been the annual cannabis march (Hamppumarssi, part of the global Million Marijuana March demonstrations) in Helsinki
. (Similar marches in other Finnish cities have been organised by other loose pro-cannabis groups, perhaps reflecting a Helsinki-centric nature of the FCA.) However, among the rising, largely internet-based, cannabis "subculture
" in Finland, the FCA has sometimes been criticised for stagnating and lack of activity.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
non-governmental organisation whose purpose is to advocate legalisation or decriminalisation of cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
.
The FCA started operating in 1990 and was officially established in 1991. According its mission statement, the purpose of the accociation is to influence the Finnish legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
so that adults could legally use, obtain and cultivate cannabis for personal use. The FCA also studies the use of cannabis in different culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
s during different times.
The association had 36 members in 1991, and about 650 in 2000.
Background
Over the years the FCA has faced many hardships in Finland, where a lot of the population do not make practically any distinction between different illegal drugs (huumeet), such as cannabis and heroin. Reasons for this include the fact that the use of cannabis has generally been much less common in Finland than in other EUEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
countries, and that the tradition of "drug education", based mainly in intimidation and modeled after practices from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, is still quite strong in schools and the media. According to the traditional Finnish mindset, it is preferable to lose control with alcohol
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
or to even use it excessively over long periods of time, than to experiment with cannabis, which is seen both as very dangerous in itself and as a "gateway drug
Gateway drug
The gateway drug theory is the hypothesis that the use of less deleterious drugs may lead to a future risk of using more dangerous hard drugs and/or crime...
".
Legal status
The Finnish Cannabis Association first applied for the status of a registered association (rekisteröity yhdistys, ry) in 1991, but the association register office maintained by the Finnish Ministry of Justice, and later the Supreme Administrative Court have rejected the application. The ministry based their rejection, in 1993, on the grounds that the purpose of FCA is "against good customs so that the expressed purpose is contrary to the views about justice and morality prevailing in our society". As of 2005, the FCA still has not obtained the status of a registered association.In 1991 two members of the Finnish parliament representing the Finnish Agrarian Party (now True Finns
True Finns
True Finns or The Finns is a populist and nationalist political party in Finland, founded in 1995 following the dissolution of the Finnish Rural Party. The head of the movement is Timo Soini. In the 2011 Finnish parliamentary election, The party won 19.1% of votes, becoming the third largest party...
) made an inquiry on the legality of the operation of FCA, the with the aim of putting an end to the cannabis organisation. The Ministry of the Interior, which carried out the inspection,
responded that "the association has not operated fundamentally against the law or good customs".
Activities
The FCA has attained some credibility, by e.g. taking part in public drug policy discussions and debates, and occacionally co-operating governmental health sector organisations as well as with other harm reductionHarm reduction
Harm reduction refers to a range of public health policies designed to reduce the harmful consequences associated with recreational drug use and other high risk activities...
groups. However, a long-standing problem for the association has been that it is not always taken seriously, and instead is dismissed by many as a "bunch of drugged-out hippies".
In recent years perhaps the most visible FCA activity has been the annual cannabis march (Hamppumarssi, part of the global Million Marijuana March demonstrations) in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
. (Similar marches in other Finnish cities have been organised by other loose pro-cannabis groups, perhaps reflecting a Helsinki-centric nature of the FCA.) However, among the rising, largely internet-based, cannabis "subculture
Subculture
In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.- Definition :...
" in Finland, the FCA has sometimes been criticised for stagnating and lack of activity.
External links
- www.suomenkannabisyhdistys.org - Official site
- www.sky.org - Official site (old version)