Iceland has set a new Scandinavian record for cannabis use, as part of a trend whose roots go back to the bank collapse.
Traditionally, the cannabinoid of choice in Iceland has been hashish. However, Vísir now reports that marijuana is fast overtaking hash, as seeds that were previously imported from Holland are now being propagated here, and planted in tiny grow rooms all over the country.
Police say that the rise in marijuana’s popularity began with the financial collapse in autumn 2008. Its popularity has grown so much, in fact, that 23% of Icelandic secondary school students say they have tried it at least once – far ahead of any other secondary school students in other Scandinavian countries.
Árni Einarsson, the director of anti-drug group Education And Prevention, believes marijuana’s popularity in Iceland is due in part to the belief that marijuana is less dangerous than hashish. He cautions, though, that marijuana and hash contain the same ingredients. It would then be safe to say that their levels of harm are about the same.
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