‘I really don’t know anyone who has never had a joint of freedom’
The mayor of Brussels is outside the capital city hall in the drizzle, fiddling with a scooter. He cannot get the lock on via the application on his phone. “J’arrive, j’arrive”he says, lost between the here and the digital world.
A few minutes later, in his status office, he tells us that earlier that morning he was unsuspectingly waiting for the tram when a passer-by told him what day it is: “July 21st, mister le bourgmestre, the national holiday. There are no trams at all today.”
And so he docked by scooter on the cobblestones of the Grand-Place to come and talk about the plan that he had previously mentioned in all Belgian newspapers. launched; Philippe Close (51), in addition to being mayor of Brussels, also vice-chairman of the federal government party PS, wants a ‘serene debate’ at national level after the summer recess about decriminalization and ultimately legalization of cannabis, partly following the Dutch example. “We haven’t talked about it in Belgium for years, because we don’t want to see the problems that drugs cause.”
These problems come to Brussels more often. In the first six months of this year, 22 drug-related shootings have already taken place on the streets of Brussels. Often it concerned settlements in the cocaine trade. With a legalization of cannabis, Close hopes to free up capacity in the police to tackle this serious drug crime. “These are agents who are now wasting their time busting people who are smoking a joint. They have to draw up a report, but it never comes to legal action, because cannabis use in Belgium has the lowest prosecution priority. That is total hypocrisy.”
The Belgian opium law dates from 1921. After a reform in 2003, cannabis use has always been prohibited, but in the case of the establishment of an adult’s possession of an amount of cannabis that does not involve public nuisance of use, it is only allowed to register passed by the police’. That Basic Law is more than a century old, says Close, sipping a cup of tea. “It is time for a law that is more in line with our society today. Want this has no meaning. This law is blocking the debate.”
He advocates a “national drug plan”, in which he wants to work federal, regional and municipal structures, now islands in the swamp of the Belgian state territories, on prevention and treatment to get rid of drugs. Close: “We know that drugs exist in our society. So why do we close our eyes to the problem? If people in thirteen American states, in Luxembourg, Germany and also in your country in the Netherlands are trying to discuss a solution, then that should also be possible, right? Anyone who thinks that this problem will only be solved by the police is wrong. When it comes to drugs, why do we never listen to doctors, psychologists, social workers? They are crazy who work with drug addicts. Let’s focus on prevention. Not on punishment.”
Last week full government officials of Germany, Luxembourg and Malta in a written explanation known that they want cannabis steeds further healthy in the near future. Cultivation, sale and use will soon be possible there under certain conditions. Belgium was not present at that meeting. Close: „But until it comes, that culturally and politically us stand, in motion. Now is the time to start the debate.”
Your colleague Bart De Wever (N-VA), mayor of Antwerp, is diametrically opposed to you. He has been engaged in a war on drugs for years, as the drug-related especially plagues his city.
“He is entitled to his opinion and point of view, but I think he is mistaken. By the way, the nationalist parties in Belgium are alone in this, along with [christen-democratische] CD&V. In French-speaking Belgium, everyone unanimously agrees, and quite frankly, I agree. I thought, people are going to think this mayor is crazy. But I’ve had nothing but positive reactions to my plan in the past week.”
Why is the debate about drugs in Belgium so sensitive?
“Because we are afraid of what drugs represent in our society. People who use drugs are seen as. We push them away. I say let’s help them. Please note: I am in favor of severe repression against drug smugglers and traffickers. I am known for that, as is my good friend Ahmed Aboutaleb in Rotterdam, because I think that the first victims of drug violence are the people in the working-class neighbourhoods. But when I see that a problem cannot be solved by the police alone, I have to look for other solutions. This is something for the social and medical authorities. I see a joint as a glass of whiskey. If you take that on Saturday night, you’ll have no problem. Well, if you start your day with it. Then you need help.”
How do you want to proceed?
“I am for legalization. But I know Belgium, and that doesn’t happen right away. So we started decriminalizing as a first step. Possession and use of cannabis will then no longer be punishable.”
Like in the Netherlands?
“Your tolerance policy is now more than forty years old. We can learn from the expertise you have developed. It’s not that all drug crime is gone, I know that. You have a big mafia problem. But you are talking about that, it is being addressed. I also want a drug debate here in Belgium, not only with the Ministers of the Interior and Justice, but also of Public Health. Working together with the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg. We can solve this together. Cannabis is common. I actually know who has never had a joint. But in Belgium, people don’t know where to go when their use gets out of hand. Users can only be seen. That can all be done much better. finally I want to legalize, distribute, execute and control, and start security programs. Just like in Quebec. There, the state organizes production, distribution, and even sales. I like to use Canada as an example because we bond with them, because of the language. Legalization there will normalize cannabis consumption.”
In fact, the first studies of the Cannabis Act in 2018 showed that the use was carried out in Quebec.
“Of course I have asked our services whether this can also be expected with us, and that is not immediately clear.”
The United Nations first start in a recent report for the concentrations of the substance THC in cannabis. Aren’t you afraid that more people will get into trouble with legalization?
“Not if we get our hands on the entire chain, like in Quebec. Then we can also determine the concentrations. In addition, the state also makes money [ruim 144 miljoen euro per jaar, berekende onderzoeksbureau Groupe Vendredi]. Of course, that’s not the first priority. That has been the PS, always very important.”
So if it’s up to you, will there be coffee shops in Brussels?
“Yes, I hope so. There are already those shops that sell cannabis candies without THC, we think. I say let’s frame it. For example, they should not be too close to schools.”
Tourists will therefore come to Brussels to blow. In Amsterdam, your colleague Femke Halsema wants to limit that.
“I often have dinner with Femke and I know what the problems are in Amsterdam. it is simply about good city management; you clearly tell a tourist what can and cannot be done. The excesses try to be you. But cities like Amsterdam and Brussels also need tourism. Without it we are lost.”
Don’t mind if your city was listed as…
„…as a cannabis city? Nobody wants that. But Brussels has much more to offer than that.”
When are you going to organize that serene national debate?
“I hope we will continue to deal with this government. But if not, the legality of cannabis will become an important issue for PS in the run-up to the 2024 elections. We want cannabis legislation to be included in the new coalition agreement.”
A version of this article also in the newspaper of 26 July 2022