There's nothing quite like a debate on drug policy to highlight the contrast in attitudes on matters of law and order and whether societies should be more liberal or more austere.
The mere notion of calmly evaluating existing policy on illicit substances and, with advice from medical experts, perhaps revising legislation so that some narcotics can be used under controlled conditions never fails to bring about indignation, fear-mongering, and a litany of worst-case hypotheses often based on little more than heresay.
Of all drugs, none receives quite the same airtime as cannabis. Portrayed by critics as a gateway drug that will bring ruin to prosperous households and lead to a generation of drug-riddled degenerates, proponents of the psychoactive herb point to the benefits it can bring, not to mention the far higher accident and death rates associated with alcohol.
The arguments for and against can be spun out to all degrees of sensationalism but this does nothing to address the issue of a century-old drugs policy in Belgium that is long overdue an update. A sensible and sensitive approach to cannabis use would undeniably be of great benefit to both those who use it, and those who are caught up in the criminality of selling it.
Why am I saying this now? Well, for those not in the know, yesterday (4 April) was "4/20": a day that has become synonymous with cannabis and something of an annual celebration of the drug. Strictly unofficial, of course. Luxembourg and the Netherlands have already made steps to move away from penalising cannabis offences – and with positive results. Surely Belgium should do it's trademark trick of following its neighbours to apply tried and tested policy changes?
Where do you stand on the matter? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your lunch break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. More Belgian supermarkets staying open on Sundays
As Sundays and bank holidays are becoming increasingly popular for grocery shopping in Belgium, supermarkets that remain open on these days are seeing increases in profits of up to 20% compared to ten years ago. Read more.
2. Ryanair cancels flights from Belgian airports due to strike
Irish budget airline Ryanair has announced it will be cancelling all flights operated by Belgian staff this coming weekend as a result of a union strike of its cabin crew. Read more.
3. Brussels Porn Film Festival: Are you coming?
With two porn film festivals opening in Belgium, The Brussels Times meets some of the stars preparing to open up the debate. Read more.
4. 4/20 in Belgium: High time to legalise cannabis?
For those partial to the psychoactive herb cannabis, 20 April (known in the US as 4/20) is a day of celebration for the drug, with groups sometimes gathering to “light up” at the given hour on the given day. Read more.
5. Dirty Brussels: Residents increasingly ignore waste collection rules
Despite the obligation to sort all household waste being introduced in 2010, Brussels residents are adhering less and less to waste collection rules, the region’s waste management agency Bruxelles-Propreté says. Read more.
6. Belgium’s Deputy PM quits as husband suffers aggressive brain cancer
Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sophie Wilmès is taking a leave of absence to be with her family, as her husband has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Read more.
7. Hidden Belgium: Ma Ferme en Ville
Hidden down a narrow cobbled lane in the heart of Liège, Ma Ferme en Ville (My Farm in the City) is a good spot for a healthy lunch. Read more.
