The Curia of Hungary, the nation’s Supreme Court, has recently overturned the police’s decision to prohibit the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party (MKKP) from organizing a significant event at Madách Square in Budapest. This decision paves the way for the Million Marijuana March, a global initiative advocating for cannabis legalization.
Activists call for a re-evaluation of drug policies
At the forefront of this movement, MKKP co-chair Zsuzsanna Döme voiced strong arguments during the event, highlighting the societal issues posed by alcohol and synthetic drugs, which, according to her, inflict far greater harm than marijuana. Despite this, she criticized the government for criminalizing marijuana use among the youth.
During the march, activists presented innovative and pragmatic suggestions regarding drug policies, emphasizing the varied impacts of different psychoactive substances. One participant noted,
“Users are very demonised. There is no understanding of how they get there, but there is no safety net to help them.”
Another attendee remarked,
“It’s a topic that we really don’t talk about in the right way. It would be better to change it, even in small steps.”
Challenging the status quo
The MKKP is taking a unique approach in its advocacy against the current drug policies. Political candidate Ferenc Somody remarked on their strategy, stating,
“We have targeted the addictions of our political, economic and cultural elites. As you can see here, power, public money, obscene language, pornography, alcohol, real estate, luxury, propaganda, fatty foods and, of course, the tovarish Putin.”
Initially, the police had banned the event, referencing an amendment to Hungary’s Fundamental Law, which strengthened child protection measures and drug security. This amendment, adopted on April 14, established a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs, asserting that the production, consumption, distribution, and promotion of drugs are strictly prohibited.
However, the MKKP has contested the ban, asserting that the police’s decision was made before the amendment was enacted. The Curia ruled that an event cannot be prohibited based on a law that had not yet been officially adopted, allowing the Million Marijuana March to proceed.
The Million Marijuana March, also known as the Global Marijuana March, is celebrated worldwide, with many nations observing it on April 20—an iconic date linked to cannabis culture. As more countries recognize the comparative safety of cannabis relative to alcohol and tobacco, the trend towards decriminalization or legalization of cannabis continues to gain momentum.