A Cannabis Legalization Draft Law To Be Published Soon in Germany

While there are still many doubts about cannabis legalization in Germany, and recent reports spoke of a “light” version of legalization, a representative of the German Health Ministry announced that the draft law will be presented by the government “immediately after Easter.”

The legislation was originally scheduled to be published at the end of the first quarter of 2023, but the deadline was extended “due to the calendar,” as officials wanted to reshape the draft to avoid a potential conflict with international regulations.

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Is full cannabis legalization still possible in Germany?

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said Wednesday, April 5th, that the goal is still to legalize cannabis at the national level, and was “firmly convinced that we will present a new proposal right after Easter” next week.

Last month, there were reports of changes to the bill compared to the one previously released by the government, with details indicating that officials intended to take a more moderate approach to reform, in two stages.

First, it was said that the law would be amended to allow growers to organize and distribute marijuana in “cannabis clubs,” similar to those in Spain.

Then, cannabis could be sold on a pilot basis in certain regions of the country, similar to Switzerland.

However, the health minister did not confirm this information and stated on Wednesday that “legalization is envisioned for all of Germany,” meaning that national commercial legalization could still be possible in the short term.

Lawmakers from the Government Coalition criticized the decision to limit the cannabis legalization project

“We need legalization on a national level because the black cannabis market can only be driven out if guaranteed, high-quality recreational cannabis is available in certified stores throughout Germany,” – Kristine Lütke of the FDP said in an interview with Zeit. “If you can legally buy high-quality cannabis in only a few cities, the black market will survive.”

“Although it is difficult to create a legally certain solution [in accordance with international regulations], we must do everything we can to implement the points agreed upon in the coalition agreement,” she added.

In the first information provided, adults aged 18 and older would be allowed to buy and possess 20 to 30 grams of cannabis in stores authorized by the federal government, and possibly in pharmacies.

They could also grow up to three cannabis plants for their own use, abiding by rules about installing fences to prevent youths from accessing them.

All pending criminal prosecutions related to crimes that will be legalized as a result of the reform would be suspended and closed after its implementation.

Cannabis would be subject to VAT, and the plan also includes an “additional tax on consumption.” However, the amount of this tax is not specified, believing that it should be set at a competitive level compared to the illegal market.

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(Featured image by sergeitokmakov via Pixabay)

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