Recently, there have been worrying signs that the European institutions are taking a wrong turn in drug policy - the vision and leadership on this issue is notably absent, and some of the recent positions taken seem to indicate a return to the simplistic messages and priorities of the failed policies of the past.
The legal status of cannabis for personal use is one of the most controversial policy issues in the European Union. Although cannabis is a classified narcotic drug placed under control by the United Nations and by all EU Member States, the measures adopted to control it at national level vary considerably.