Luxembourg Publishes Plan to Legalize Recreational Cannabis

An expert group appointed by the Luxembourg government has unveiled plans for an experimental cannabis legalization program in the country. The report, titled “An Experimental System of Legal Access to Marijuana for Non-Medical Purposes,” outlines the prospects for a fully legal adult-use cannabis market in Luxembourg, with limited access for those over the age of 18.

Read more about Luxembourg’s plan to legalize recreational cannabis and find the most important cannabis news of the day with the Hemp.im mobile app.

Recommendations and restrictions of the cannabis plan

The report recommends allowing the possession of up to 3 grams of cannabis, the cultivation of a maximum of 4 plants at home, and the development of a legal framework for a retail market where residents will be able to buy up to 5 grams per day, but no more than 30 grams per month.

One of the program’s main objectives is to “regulate access to cannabis for non-medicinal purposes through a rigorous and robust pilot project, tailored to Luxembourg’s specific needs.”

Consultations and experts

The report was written after consultations with an inter-ministerial working group. The final document was reviewed by four international experts: Henri Bergeron, director of research at the CNRS, Rebecca Jesseman, director of policy at the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, Tomasz Zabranski, an epidemiologist from the Czech Republic, and Steve Rolles, a policy analyst at the Transform Drug Policy Foundation.

Two-Phase pre-legalization

The first step in the pilot project will be to amend the current legislation, the February 19, 1973 law on the sale of drug substances.

Once the amended law is passed, each household will be allowed to grow up to four cannabis plants for personal use. Consumption of cannabis in public places will continue to be prohibited, and distribution and sale will be strictly restricted.

The second stage will involve the development of a state system for the production and sale of cannabis. To this end, a pilot project will be launched to test the possibility of improving the situation in the country. The experiment aims to determine how cannabis sales can be regulated so that access is limited only to those who meet the criteria, such as those living in Luxembourg and turning 18.

Licenses and outlets

There are plans to grant 2 production licenses and establish 14 cannabis outlets in Luxembourg. The sale of cannabis in public places will continue to be prohibited, and no designated consumption sites are planned. As part of the project, the Institute for Social Research and Market Studies in Luxembourg (ILRES) is conducting a survey analyzing current consumer behavior in the country. The survey will be conducted among 3,000 people, and the results will be published at the end of the year.

The Objectives of the Luxembourg Government

The Luxembourg government combines health and public safety goals. In terms of prevention, the main goal is to reduce the risk of cannabis use by ensuring a high-quality product. In the area of security, Luxembourg aims to gradually eliminate the illegal cannabis market, reduce drug-related crime and separate consumers from criminal circles.

Europe moving toward cannabis legalization

Luxembourg was the first European country to announce its intention to introduce a legal adult-use cannabis market as part of its drug policy. The 2018 coalition agreement included a provision to decriminalize or legalize cannabis.

The agreement stated: “Legislation on the recreational use of cannabis will be developed. The main objectives will be the decriminalization, or even legalization, under conditions yet to be determined, of production on Luxembourg’s territory, as well as the possibility for adult residents to purchase, possess and use recreational cannabis for personal purposes; the elimination of consumers from the black market; a decisive reduction in the associated mental and physical risks; and the fight against crime at the supply level.”

Since Luxembourg’s historic decision in 2018, many other European countries have made changes to their cannabis policies, such as Malta, which became the first country in Europe to legalize access to recreational cannabis.

Other countries that are changing their approach to adult-use cannabis include Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Portugal.

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(Featured image by waldomiguez via Pixabay)

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