Germany legalised cannabis, but for now it will be possible to buy it only in closed clubs
The next stage will include pilot programmes for the creation of shops for the open sale of marijuana
The German authorities have legalised the use, possession and cultivation of cannabis: the law on this subject, approved by the country's authorities, comes into force on 1 April. However, Berlin did not follow the example of Canada, where marijuana is openly sold in stores. In Germany, its distribution will be allowed only through private clubs.
Source. This was reported by Deutsche Welle.
The law on the legalisation of marijuana has previously been approved by the Bundestag and has now passed through the upper house of the German parliament, the Bundesrat, which includes representatives of the governments of 16 federal states of Germany.
Some members of the Bundesrat tried to block the legalisation, but the resolution did not receive enough votes, which means that the law will come into force.
The rules of marijuana circulation in Germany will be as follows:
- Adult citizens of the country over the age of 18 will have the right to possess up to 25 grams of marijuana for personal use.
- Cannabis use in public places will be allowed if there are no children or sports facilities nearby. It will also be prohibited in pedestrian areas from 07:00 to 20:00.
- Adults will also be able to keep up to 50 grams of marijuana at home and grow up to three cannabis plants.
- Starting from 1 July this year, special private clubs will be able to grow and sell marijuana, with no more than 500 members each.
- Marijuana remains illegal for minors.
The legalisation of marijuana was one of the election promises of the German Green Party, which joined the ruling coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP).
According to Politico, the current decriminalisation of marijuana is only the first step, after which the German government may fully legalise it.
It is expected that the next step will be a five-year pilot programme to set up shops for the open sale of cannabis.
Earlier, Reuters reported that the legalisation of marijuana will allow Germany to attract about $4.7 billion a year to the budget and create 27 thousand new jobs. The agency reported that in 2021, about 4 million people used cannabis in Germany, 25% of them aged 18 to 24.
Among the European Union member states, only Malta has legalised the recreational use of marijuana. In the Netherlands, there is no legal permission to do so, but the authorities do not prevent the sale and use of small amounts of cannabis in coffee shops.
Several countries in the world have legalised the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Recreational cannabis is also legal in Canada and Uruguay.
However, the United States remains the world's largest legal marijuana market: 37 states and Washington, D.C., have allowed the use of the substance for medical purposes, and 24 states have allowed it for recreational purposes. At the same time, marijuana is still prohibited at the federal level.
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