Estonian Town Officially Adopts Cannabis Flag

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]K[/dropcap]anepi—a town in southeastern Estonia—is literally named after cannabis. “Kanep” is the Estonian word for cannabis. On May 15, the Kanepi Municipal Council voted nine to eight to officially adopt a cannabis leaf as its official emblem and flag. On May 17, a local official confirmed that the town has adopted the new flag.

“Today the cannabis leaf is seen primarily as a recreational drug, but in fact, hemp-type cannabis has been used in practical ways for years and it has hundreds of uses,” Kanepi council member Andrus Seeme stated, adding that there is “nothing wrong” with choosing a new cannabis flag.

The rural town the county of Põlvamaa is home to a few local businesses that produce organic hemp products, including a bakery that sells bread with hemp seeds.

Recently the town launched an online poll to choose its emblem. One entry, a cannabis leaf logo entitled “Mari Jane” was easily the most popular choice. Approximately 12,000 voters out of over 15,000 votes chose Mari Jane as the official logo.

Ironically cannabis is illegal in Estonia, but it didn’t stop the flag from being chosen above all other entries. According to Reuters, the punishment for possession of small amounts of cannabis is a misdemeanor and a fine.Currently, however, Estonia’s Green Party and the Ravikanep NGO are lobbying to legalize medical cannabis.

Cannabis is an important aspect of Kanepi’s history, dating back over 150 years. According to Estonian World, Kanepi established a song festival in 1869 that bore a flag with a cannabis leaf. The new flag would be a representation of the town’s rich history. Kanepi residents cultivated hemp used for textiles, clothing, oil and rope.

The final exact design of the new flag remains uncertain, but a Kanepi committee recommended stylizing the cannabis leaf for a better final emblem. The rural Estonian community is helping to erase decades of undeserved stigma surround cannabis and hemp.