Germany's first cannabis legalization bill has been announced, expected to take effect by the end of the year, and will become the second legalized country in E.U.

Author： unigreensz Time：2023-07-11 20:18:29 Read：450

Recently, the German government announced a draft law on the first pillar of the legalization process of cannabis, which will regulate private and public cannabis cultivation for recreational purposes. This law lays the legal foundation for private cultivation and non-profit 'cultivation associations', whose members will be allowed to collectively grow cannabis and share a limited amount within the group for their own consumption. 

The bill is expected to be submitted to the federal cabinet for approval in middle of August.

Thereafter, the draft law will be reviewed in the Bundestag (German Parliament) and the Federal Senate at the certain time this autumn. However, the final decision on this law is the responsibility of the Federal House of Representatives and does not require approval from the Federal Senate. 

Germany expects the law to come into effect before the end of this year. 

Like Canada, Germany stated that one of the main goals of ending the cannabis ban is to improve public health and citizen health, rather than any economic or financial reasons. 

The detailed content of the draft law includes: 

1. Limit household cultivation to three cannabis plants per adult. 

2. Limit the legal possession of marijuana to 25 grams per adult. 

3. The daily intake of marijuana by members of the planting association shall not exceed 25 grams, and the monthly intake shall not exceed 50 grams. 

4. People under the age of 21 can consume up to 30 grams per month, with a THC limit of 10%. 

5. Implement a general advertising and sponsorship ban on marijuana and growers' associations.

 

A second law related to regional pilot projects, or what Germany calls the second pillar of legalization, will be introduced. Germany stated that the second draft law is expected to be coordinated with the European Commission and EU member states.

 

In 2017 

In 2017, Germany passed a new law allowing the use of medical marijuana. According to the bill, marijuana can only be legally used for medical purposes with a prescription issued by a doctor holding a special license. This law also stipulates the maximum allowable content and dosage of cannabis grass and extracts. 

There are some restrictions and conditions in the legalization of cannabis in Germany due to the disease. According to the Anesthesia Act, personal use and possession of marijuana is illegal in Germany. However, Germany passed a bill in 2017 to allow patients with serious diseases to use Medical cannabis. 

According to this bill, patients with specific diseases (such as cancer, Multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, etc.) can obtain Medical cannabis through legal means. This requires the patient to obtain a doctor's prescription and purchase legal Medical cannabis products in the designated pharmacy. In addition, Germany also has strict regulatory measures for the cultivation, production and sale of Medical cannabis to ensure the quality and safety of products. 

However, Germany still maintains strict controls on the recreational use of cannabis. The recreational use of marijuana is still considered illegal and may face criminal charges. However, for a small amount of personal use, it is usually considered a non criminal offense and may be subject to administrative penalties such as fines.

 

Although Germany has carried out some reforms on the legalization of Medical cannabis, it still maintains a conservative attitude towards the legalization of recreational cannabis. Currently, personal use and possession of marijuana are still considered illegal and may be subject to legal sanctions. However, some regions have adopted a more lenient approach to the illegal use and possession of marijuana by individuals, such as cities such as Berlin allowing individuals to hold small amounts of marijuana without prosecution. Overall, Germany's stance on the legalization of cannabis is constantly evolving and exploring.

 

In 2022 

On June 26, 2022, Germany released a plan to legalize marijuana, and the Schultz government stated that this would make Germany the second EU country to legalize marijuana after Malta. 

According to Reuters, the German Federal Cabinet has approved a proposal by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach to regulate adults' behavior of selling and consuming cannabis for recreational purposes. The document proposes to allow adults aged 18 and above to purchase and own 20 to 30 grams of marijuana for personal consumption, and to allow individuals to cultivate marijuana within a limited range. In addition, the government will introduce a special consumption tax and develop education and abuse prevention plans related to cannabis. 

In Lauterbach's view, the legalization of cannabis is a way to protect children and young people. He wrote on Twitter: "This law will reduce consumption, especially among young people." Lauterbach said that about 4 million people in Germany consumed cannabis last year, 25% of whom were between the ages of 18 and 24. But he does not want to follow the example of neighboring Netherlands, which combines decriminalization with loose market regulation. Instead, he plans to legalize cannabis and gradually squeeze out black market transactions from the cannabis market.