Germany’s long-awaited cannabis legalization measure is expected to be formally submitted to the cabinet next month. However, new details about the current version of the adult-use legalization measure were recently unveiled, providing further insight into what cannabis policy observers inside and outside of Germany can expect from the European nation’s cannabis policy modernization efforts.
For roughly the last two months an adult-use legalization measure has worked its way through the administrative review process in Germany, and many high-level details were released to the public via a press conference led by German Health Karl Lauterbach back in April.
The public learned in April that there would be a legal age set at 18 years old, that there would be a possession limit of 25 grams, and there would be a cultivation limit of 3 plants. Additionally, noncommercial cannabis clubs would be permitted as part of the proposal, and eventually, regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot programs would be launched.
The new proposal seems to have evolved a bit, as recapped in a Twitter thread by VOC Nederland:
🇩🇪German cannabis law proposal:
✖️Adults (minimum 19 years old) are allowed to grow up to three cannabis plants, regardless of whether these are male or female plants. pic.twitter.com/wSbiYhVvHQ— VOC Nederland (@vocnederland) July 6, 2023
🇩🇪German cannabis law proposal
✖️Unless you work for a canabis social club you can not have more than 25 grams of cannabis at home, even if you grow your own. The government seems to want you to destroy most of the harvest from your legally allowed three plants.🙄 pic.twitter.com/T9JXD8Ur7q— VOC Nederland (@vocnederland) July 6, 2023
Noncommercial cannabis clubs cannot be located within 200 meters of a school, and the number of clubs will be capped at one club for every 6,000 residents according to the recently unveiled proposal.
Cannabis club permits will be valid for up to seven years, and members will be required to remain with the club they join for at least two months before they move their membership to a different club (members can only join one club at a time).
Provisions relating to regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot programs, which will serve as the ‘second phase’ of German legalization, are expected to be released ‘in the second half of 2023.’
This article first appeared on Internationalcbc.com and is syndicated here with special permission.
