Sparking up in the Sejm

20th January 2012

Controversial MP Janusz Palikot has invited people to join him this Friday to smoke a joint in Poland’s Lower Houses of Parliament (Sejm).

Reports on news station TVN24 state that the leader of the Palikot Movement (RP) plans to spark up in order to test out recently introduced laws.

In December last year, legislation was passed giving prosecutors a choice over whether to charge people found in possession of soft drugs “for their own personal use” or not.

“We want to take this opportunity to invite down members of the Free Hemp Society on Friday to share a joint to see if this law needs amending,” said Mr Palikot earlier in the week.

However, the offer has been met with criticism from many within the Sejm.

Marshal of the Sejm and former health minister Ewa Kopacz has slammed the move, claiming that she hopes it is “only a joke”. As a qualified doctor, Ms Kopacz expressed her views during a meeting with senior councillors and urged other Palikot Movement MPs to stop the act from taking place.

As well as claiming that the Sejm was the place where “laws were passed”, she added that there was a duty to “serve Polish society, especially youngsters, and not promote things that were detrimental to one’s health”.