The Ministry of Health in Germany has presented its first bill to legalize cannabis. Details include allowing adults to grow three plants for personal use and establishing regulations for social clubs. The proposed law aims to improve public health, combat the black market, and protect youth. It includes possession limits, restrictions on cannabis clubs, and a ban on advertising.
The Ministry of Health in Germany has presented a bill aimed at legalizing cannabis, submitting it for review by government officials and the public.
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According to the proposal, adults will be allowed to cultivate three cannabis plants for personal use while establishing a legal framework for social clubs that would supply cannabis. Officials in Germany also plan to introduce an additional, second pillar of legalization that would establish pilot programs for commercial sales in cities across the country.
Interestingly, the law allows for the cultivation of three plants but possession of only 25 grams for personal use. It is easily possible to obtain 25g from a single plant, so the question arises as to what growers in Germany will have to do with yields exceeding the permitted amount.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach claims that Germany “can dry up the black market and combat crime by enabling the sale of cannabis to adults within clearly defined limits.” He also emphasizes that barriers will be put in place to prevent youth access to cannabis.
The new bill allows adults who have reached the age of 18 to cultivate a maximum of three plants for personal use. However, people will not be allowed to produce oils or concentrates from cannabis in Germany.
Similar to Canada, Germany states that one of the main goals of ending cannabis prohibition is to improve public health, not driven by any economic or financial reasons.
The details of the bill include:
Personal possession of cannabis in Germany will be limited to 25 grams, with an exception for employees of social clubs. These clubs cannot be located within 200 meters of schools, and each city or district can have only one club per 6,000 residents.
The permit for a social club in Germany will be valid for up to seven years, with the possibility of extension after five years. According to the bill, membership in clubs would have to last at least two months.
After the administrative review, the first pillar of the legalization plan is scheduled to be carried out by the cabinet next month. Officials plan to separately issue the second pillar regarding the pilot program for commercial cannabis sales in Germany in the second half of this year.
“The current developments show that cannabis consumption is increasing, especially among young people, despite existing prohibitive regulations,” says the summary of the new bill. “The law aims to contribute to improving health protection, strengthening education and prevention related to cannabis, curbing the illegal cannabis market, and enhancing the protection of children and adolescents.”
The summary of the 163-page bill also estimates the implementation and regulation costs of the program, as well as the savings associated with reducing law enforcement and the new revenue generated by taxes on the salaries of cannabis club employees.
While working on the implementation of home cultivation and social clubs, separate legislation regarding the pilot program for commercial sales will be sent to the European Commission for review before it is enacted. Germany has announced that the second bill will be coordinated with the European Commission and the member states of the European Union.
While the bill mainly focuses on presenting the rules under which proposed cannabis clubs can operate in Germany, it also confirms the government’s plans to remove “all active substances associated with cannabis” from the list of controlled substances. This will remove many obstacles related to prescribing medical cannabis, the work of pharmacists, and administration.
Although the first pillar of legalization, which focuses on the introduction of cultivation clubs throughout the country, has been criticized for providing limited space for the growth of businesses as once anticipated, this key change will not only drive significant growth in the medical cannabis market but also eliminate ongoing legal proceedings against CBD sellers throughout Germany.
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(Featured image by Niki Nagy via Pexels)
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