For years, the Czech Republic was seen as one of the most progressive countries in Europe regarding drug policy. But according to critics, that threatens to change.
The Czech government has decided to appoint a national drug coordinator Pavel Bém to replace. His duties will be taken over from July by Dita Protopopová, who will take on a new role combining mental health and drug policy.
The decision is causing unrest within the international cannabis and harm reduction community. Bém is known as one of the architects of modern Czech drug policy and advocated for years for an approach based on science, public health, and regulation rather than repression.
The timing is striking. Since January 1, 2026, adults in the Czech Republic have been allowed, under certain conditions, to grow a maximum of three cannabis plants at home and possess limited quantities of cannabis. These reforms were viewed internationally as an important step towards a more modern cannabis policy.
Activists now fear that the new government under Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is moving away from the pragmatic model for which the Czech Republic was known for years. According to various proponents of reforms, Bém's departure could signal that stricter and more conservative policies are regaining ground.
Although it is still too early to say exactly what course the Czech Republic will take, the situation is being closely monitored by many experts. For years, the country served as an example for other European countries experimenting with cannabis regulation and modern drug policy.
