Young Conservative leader wants to legalize cannabis – NRK Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country

– It is almost impossible to break the backs of the criminal gangs without attacking their markets. We can do that by legalizing hashish and cannabis.

This is what Unge Høyre leader Ola Svenneby says to VG.

Svenneby believes that a regulated drug market is a greater threat to the livelihood of criminals than more police.

– We have to realize that more police officers are not the solution to breaking gang crime, says Svenneby to the newspaper.

Hash at Vinmonopolet

The Young Conservative leader wants hashish sales into regulated markets. He wants to prevent the money from flowing to the criminal gangs.

– If the hashish turnover had been transferred, for example, to the pole or the pharmacy, then the income streams for the gangs would have shrunk, says Svenneby.

Svenneby tells VG that he wants to ensure that the national meeting of the Conservative Party next spring must debate the issue of legalizing hashish and cannabis.

Asheim: – Very bad solution

Henrik Asheim, deputy leader of the parent party Høyre, welcomes the debate on legalisation.

– Mbut I am not entirely convinced that he will get the large majority at the national meeting to adopt this. So far this has been rejected quite clearly in the Conservative Party, and I think it will be this time as well, says Asheim to NRK.

– Is this the way to go to choke off the money flows to criminal gangs?

– No I do not think so. And I think this is a rather simple solution to a much more complicated problem. We must also ensure that fewer young people use various drugs.

Asheim believes the solution is to strengthen international cooperation, prevent recruitment into gangs and secure money for more visible police in the streets.

Therefore, he vehemently disagrees with Svenneby that more police is not the solution.

– I think that is a very, very bad solution. It is also completely contrary to what we have proposed in the Storting, namely money for more visible police, not least in the areas that are the hardest burdened, says Asheim.

Several youth parties support

Several states in the US have legalized cannabis. Recently, Germany also legalized the use and storage of the plant for personal use.

Several other youth parties support the legalization of cannabis.

Young Venstre, like Svenneby, wants regulated sales of cannabis at Vinmonopolet.

– Young Liberals have long been supporters of legalizing cannabis. If we get the Conservative Party on board, we should not ignore the fact that it could become a bourgeois government’s policy in 2025, says UV leader Ane Breivik to NRK on Thursday morning.

Grønn Ungdom, Rød Ungdom and FpU will also legalize cannabis.

FpU leader Simen Velle recently appeared in VG and said that he has previously been convicted of drug possession. He and two friends were caught with around 100 grams of hashish, which they explained was for their own use.