Internet is not only the source for numerous cat videos and half-dressed ladies, it’s also become the origin of one the coolest flags in the world.
The small Estonian town of Kanepi, the name of which means Cannabis in Estonian, was named after the fields of hemp that surrounded the city in 1923. In 2017, the Estonian government decided to remodel its municipal system to reflect the change the town was witnessing. A new flag was ordered and an online vote was put in place.
Thanks to Reddit, the community website, internet found out about the name of the city and immediately decided to propose a with flag with two green bands on it and an enormous cannabis plant on it. The number of voters got up to 15885, two times the number of inhabitants in the city. Votes obviously came from all four corners of the globe. The municipal counsel had the choice whether or not to apply this popular vote which had been heavily influenced by the outside. Arno Kakk, one of its members publically announced ‘I am not in favour of the nature of such a flag’.
The vote came very close, finally giving the win to internet with 9 votes against 8 (probably thanks to the large amount of publicity the city received) at the end of 2018. A flag which was allowed because it fell under the requirements for municipal flags in Estonia. It flies high above the Town Hall of Kanepi. Cannabis is illegal in Estonia, but any possession of less than 7,5 grams is considerable negligeable and can only be punished with a small fine. Good news if you wish to visit the town.
.Mike Teeve
