Cannabis cultivation across Finland is increasing, according to police in eastern Uusimaa, who recently raided a marijuana-growing site.
Last week police in Porvoo, southeastern Finland, confiscated around 250 cannabis plants from an apartment in the town centre. They revealed that such raids were becoming more common as Finns were opting to grow the drug domestically rather than import it.
Porvoo police’s Janne Levalampi said he did not have the exact figures but that it appeared domestic cultivation had increased dramatically.
Police say that cannabis growing has become popular during the winter, with detailed instructions on what to do readily available online. They note that other drugs are still more likely to be imported from abroad, but the cannabis available in the Nordic country is generally local produce.
Porvoo nurse Marianne Korpi, who specialises in the effects of intoxicants, explained that modern strains of marijuana were stronger than in years gone by and were linked to psychiatric problems. She said how it affects the user varied, but that the consequences could be “severe”.
Korpi acknowledged that at first things could be fun, but after a while isolation, withdrawal symptoms and even psychosis were among potential the results. She added that the fact cannabis was generally more accepted today had led to increased usage.