The German government has taken a significant step towards legalizing recreational marijuana use by approving a plan on Wednesday. This decision sets the stage for adults to legally purchase and possess small amounts of cannabis. Although the legislation still needs to be approved by Parliament, the endorsement from the three-party coalition’s cabinet is a pivotal moment that could make Germany the first major European country to legalize marijuana.
During a news conference, Karl Lauterbach, Germany’s health minister, emphasized the importance of this law, stating that it represents a long-term change in drug policy and introduces a concept of controlled legalization. Currently, consuming cannabis is legal in Germany, but buying it is not.
However, the approved measure is somewhat weaker than the original proposal put forth by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government. Initially, the plan included the distribution of marijuana through commercial stores, but the European Union’s governing body, the European Commission, opposed this idea. As a result, the new legislation allows for distribution through private cultivation associations consisting of fewer than 500 members. Each member would be permitted to purchase up to 25 grams per day or 50 grams per month for personal use.
In addition to this, the German government intends to implement regional pilot programs, where a limited number of licensed specialty shops would sell cannabis. These programs aim to gather more information about the consequences of commercial marijuana sales. This approach is a response to the European Commission’s concerns regarding the previous proposal for store sales. Similar pilot programs have already been launched in the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Member opposition from Germany’s center-right bloc has voiced concerns about the safety of minors. However, the legislation introduced by the government explicitly prohibits marijuana possession for individuals under 18 and imposes limits on young adults between the ages of 18 and 21, allowing them to obtain only 30 grams per month from a cultivation club.
Critics from the Christian Democrats, such as Armin Schuster and Herbert Ruel, have warned of potential control issues and burdensome enforcement. Despite these objections, proponents within Germany’s governing coalition are optimistic that the law will be enacted before the end of the year. They argue that the current drug policy on cannabis has reached its limitations and that a combination of realism and prevention is necessary.
It’s worth noting that other European Union countries have also expressed interest in marijuana legalization. Malta, a small archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, was the first to legalize cannabis.
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