21 December 2016
The UK’s Independent newspaper is reports
The city government, led by Mayor Frank Jensen, has made its fourth formal request that the capital is allowed to carry out a trial legalisation programme where sales are exclusively handled by public authorities.
The coalition of the left-wing Red-Green Alliance and the libertarian-leaning Liberal Alliance (LA) said the trial is necessary to prevent the increasing number of shootings in the city which they believe are linked to rival gangs attempting to control the local market.
LA council member told Danish broadcaster DR: “The past months have seen an intensification in the fight between gangs to dominate the lucrative and illegal market. That causes insecurity for residents.”
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The national government has traditionally been against any form of drug legalisation so it is unlikely it will support the Copenhagen ban but there are signs it could be softening its previously hardline stance, The Local reports.
Last month the government approved a four-year trial programme which allowed a small number of patients to be treated with medical marijuana from 2018.
Meanwhile, polls have shown 88 per cent of Danish people support legalising cannabis for medicinal use and just over half approve of its recreational use.
