The status of Cannabis in Croatia within the drug policy context of EU countries

Ovaj diplomski rad ima za cilj analiziranje položaja kanabisa u Republici Hrvatskoj u smislu društvene politike prema drogama u kontekstu zemalja Europske Unije. S obzirom na to da u radu ne postoji prostor za ispitivanje sveukupnog položaja kanabisa, on je samim time ograničen na službene dokumente, zakonske regulative unutar kojeg se promatra položaj kanabisa. Razlog tomu je djelomično, odnosno nepotpuno društvo kao i prevelike različitosti društvenih grupa koje su na odredene načine povezane s kanabisom. S obzirom na sve to, u radu će se koristiti odredeni izvori, poput formalno pravnih okvira ili medicinske literature. Takoder će rad biti obogaćen odredenom sociološkom teorijom iz simboličko interakcionističke perspektive, poput one Howarda Beckera koji je pisao o moralnoj panici, odnosno usijanoj (neracionalnoj) atmosferi koja se stvorila zbog korištenja odredenih opojnih sredstava od strane mladih skupina. Kanabis je desetljećima vrlo zastupljen u popularnoj kulturi, glazbi, filmu, medijima (na ovim prostorima više od pola stoljeća), a njegova uporaba je rezultirala brojnim javnim i znanstvenim raspravama. Iz perspektive dekriminalizacije i legalizacije kanabisa može se reći da društvo o tome promišlja na različite načine, od iznimno suzdržanog do iznimno restriktivnog u pogledu dopuštanja uporabe, bilo da se radi o medicinskoj ili rekreativnoj uporabi.This master thesis aims to analyze the position of cannabis in the Republic of Croatia, in terms of social policies on drugs, in the context of European Union countries. Taking into consideration that in the work there is no room to examine the overall position of cannabis, it is therefore limited to official documents, legislation within which the position of cannabis is observed. The reason for that is a partial or incomplete society, as well as the excessive diversity of social groups that are on certain ways associated with cannabis. In view of all this, certain sources will be used in the paper, such as formal legal frameworks or medical literature. The work will also be enriched with a certain sociological theory, from a symbolic interactionist perspective, like that of Howard Becker who wrote about the moral panic, that is the heated (irrational) atmosphere that was created due to the use of certain narcotics by younger groups. Cannabis has been strongly represented in popular culture, music, film, media (in the area for over half a century) and its use has resulted in numerous public and scientific debates. From the perpective of decriminalization and legalization of cannabis can be said that society thinks about it in different ways, from exceptional restrained to extremely restrictive in terms of allowing use, whether it is medical or recreational use