Beyond Prohibition: Pavel Bém on Czechia’s Next Wave of Drug Policy Reform

Pavel Bém is a Czech psychiatrist and former mayor of Prague who now serves as National Drug Policy Coordinator. With decades of experience at the intersection of politics and addiction medicine, he has been a key figure in shaping the Czech Republic’s pragmatic, health-oriented approach to drug policy. We spoke with him in Vienna during the 69th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) about the country’s latest reforms—from cannabis regulation to psychedelic therapy—and what they mean for the future of drug policy in Europe.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction
00:49 Pavel, how do you feel as the newly appointed drug coordinator of the Czech Republic?
03:40 What is kratom, and why is it so popular in the Czech Republic?
13:06 How is the UN responding to kratom regulation?
14:20 What does the new cannabis regulation look like?
18:28 Psilocybin is now allowed in therapy in the Czech Republic—what does it look like?
24:17 How is the drug policy debate at the EU level, and can you influence it?

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