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The German Parliament has voted to approve cannabis for personal use within limits. The opposition and some experts are against it. Now what is allowed, what is prohibited? For supporters, last month’s decision in the Bundestag finally marks the end of decriminalization, while opponents see an increased risk of young people turning to harder drugs than ever before: the ruling center-left coalition of the Social Democrats (SPD). With the combined votes of the Liberal Party, the Greens, and the business-focused Free Democrats (FDP), the Bundestag approved the partial liberalization of cannabis use in Germany in March. Members of the Left Party also voted in favor.
In concrete terms, this means that from April 1, people over the age of 18 will be allowed to possess and carry up to 25 grams of cannabis for consumption in Germany. Additionally, cannabis enthusiasts can now grow up to three cannabis plants in their homes and store up to 50 grams of dry cannabis.
Consumers, as well as many politicians and health experts, have long called for the use of cannabis to be allowed in smaller quantities, to prevent police from spending time and resources on small dealers. In the 2021 coalition agreement, the three ruling parties agreed to this in principle and wrote in their coalition agreement: “We are introducing controlled supply of cannabis to adults for recreational purposes in licensed shops.”
But the legislation proposed by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) now makes no mention of such licensed stores – at least not yet. Initially, the government wants to allow and regulate private consumption, partly to reduce the burden on the police and judiciary. From July 1, private clubs with up to 500 members will also be allowed to collectively grow cannabis plants and distribute them to their members.
Commercial stores, like many US states, will not be allowed for now, even though the government had initially considered it. Cannabis consumption will also be banned between 7am and 8pm in schools, kindergartens, near public playgrounds and sports facilities and in pedestrian areas in city centres.
Legalization elsewhere in the EU
Germany is not the first European country to relax cannabis regulation. The use of small amounts of cannabis has long been decriminalized in Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Belgium and the Netherlands, although even there, some rules remain in place: for example, possession is legal in the Netherlands. Not there; Its use is allowed only in well-known coffee shops, and anyone who wishes to enter them must prove that he or she is of legal age.
The debate about the possibility of legalization has always been based on two positions: Some doctors and health experts warn against trivializing cannabis. Neurologist Euphrosyne Gouzoulis-Mayfrank, future president of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (DGPPN), has said: “Age is the key point in this discussion. I fear that with this law we are unleashing the devil and his Taking up space.” With Beelzebub.”
Young people’s brains continue to develop until age 25, and cannabis use can cause serious harm, especially of a psychological nature. Other critics warn that relatively harmless cannabis can be a gateway to harder substances. But supporters like Janos Dahmen, a member of the Green Party Bundestag and a doctor himself, disagree. “The data on increasing cannabis consumption shows that fewer people are consuming cannabis because of the prohibition policy of recent years – on the contrary, consumption is increasing, especially by young people,” he told DW. “
“The purpose of the Cannabis Act is to make cannabis use and access safer for informed adults by preventing the distribution of contaminated cannabis substances and curbing the black market,” he said. Cannabis consumption has actually increased recently, especially among young adults between the ages of 18 and 25. According to the latest data from the federal Center for Health Education, half of young people had already used cannabis in 2021. The last time this figure was this high was 50 years ago.
The government also wants to introduce amnesty for previously punishable cases, which will be allowed in future. This prompted the managing director of the German Association of Judges, Sven Raben, to speak out, telling the RND news network: “The judiciary is expecting to review 100,000 files across the country.” Barely manageable, says Raben. Therefore, even after taking the first steps towards free consumption, the cannabis issue remains a hot topic in Germany.
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