Germany’s Cabinet Approves A Plan To Liberalize Rules On Cannabis Possession And Sale

BERLIN, Germany — On Wednesday, the German Cabinet accepted a proposal to relax Cannabis laws, clearing the way for the most populous member of the EU to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of the drug and permit “cannabis clubs” to purchase it for recreational use.

The law still needs to be approved by parliament and is described as the first phase of a two-part strategy. Even though it falls well short of its initial goals, the government’s adoption of a well-known reform initiative of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s socially liberal coalition is a step in the right direction.

The legislation, which the government hopes to go into force at the end of this year, calls for the legalization of personal cultivation of up to three cannabis plants and the possession of up to 25 grams (almost 1 ounce) of cannabis for recreational use.

Residents of Germany who are 18 and older might join nonprofit “cannabis clubs” with no more than 500 members apiece. The clubs would be permitted to grow marijuana for the use of their members.

Individuals would be permitted to purchase a maximum of 50 grams per month, or 25 grams per day, with a 30-gram limit for those under 21. Multiple club memberships would not be permitted. Membership fees, which would vary depending on how much cannabis members use, would pay for the clubs’ expenses.

The German Cabinet accepted a proposal to relax marijuana laws.

The government intends to outlaw cannabis advertising and club sponsorship, and consumption will be prohibited within 200 meters (656 feet) of schools, playgrounds, and sports facilities, as well as close to cannabis club properties.

Officials anticipate their strategy will safeguard consumers from tainted goods and lower drug-related crime. The method should result in “very competitive” costs, said Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, “so we think that we can push back the black market well with these rules.”

According to Lauterbach, “we have rising consumption, problematic consumption,” at the moment. It simply could not have continued in this manner.

The center-right opposition claims that the administration is legalizing a dangerous medicine despite European legal barriers and professional advice. According to a group representing German judges, the proposal is more likely to increase than alleviate the load on the legal system and may even stimulate demand for cannabis grown illegally.

Some pro-legalization campaigners are also unsatisfied.

“What we’re getting from the health minister is overregulation, a continued stigmatisation of cannabis users, and a much too tight regulatory corset, which just plainly makes it impossible for many, many (cannabis clubs) to work,” claimed Oliver Waack-Jürgensen, the executive director of Berlin’s High Ground “cannabis social club,” which was established last year. He serves on the board of a national organization that advocates for these clubs.

Lauterbach disagreed with the arguments.

The German Cabinet accepted a proposal to relax Cannabis laws.

According to the minister, the fact that it is under attack from all sides is encouraging. He continued, “Approval with much more liberalization, like, for example, in Holland or some American states, would have led to consumption expanding,” those opposed to any legalization “have no answer” to rising consumption, criminality, and a burgeoning black market.

In addition to the legislation, a campaign will be launched to educate young people about the dangers of cannabis use.

The government claims to implement the new legislation by laying out a second stage that involves testing regulated commercial supply chains over five years in a few selected places before a scientific evaluation.

That falls far short of its initial goal from the previous year, which called for enabling the sale of cannabis to adults nationwide at authorized stores. After discussions with the EU executive commission, it was reduced.

Other parts of Europe take other tacks. In the Netherlands, there is limited market regulation and decriminalization.

The German Cabinet accepted a proposal to relax Cannabis laws.

The substance is allowed to be sold and used in tiny amounts at coffee shops in the Netherlands, but the production and sale of larger quantities required to supply the coffee shops is still banned. Coffeeshops are strictly enforced in Amsterdam, which has long been a draw for travelers seeking marijuana.

While this is happening, the Dutch government has started a trial to “determine whether and how controlled cannabis can be legally supplied to coffee shops and what the effects would be.”

Authorities in Switzerland last year gave the go-ahead for a pilot project that would let a small number of people in Basel purchase cannabis from pharmacies for recreational use. The Czech government has been working on a proposal to legalize the sale and use of cannabis for recreational purposes similar to the one Germany has adopted.

The parliament rejected a proposal to legalize marijuana made in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. France has no intentions to relax its stringent marijuana laws.

SOURCE – (AP)