It will be possible to buy cannabis or grow it for pleasure at home from April 1 in Germany, where parliament gave its final vote on one of Europe's most liberal laws on Friday after intense debate.
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This flagship law for the government of the Social Democratic Chancellor (SPD) Olaf Scholz was passed with 407 yes votes and 226 no votes after there were numerous criticisms and a heated debate in the Bundestag.
The regulations stipulate that the purchase of cannabis in limited quantities of a maximum of 25 grams per day may be permitted through non-profit associations. There is also the option to grow up to three plants for your own use.
However, possession and consumption of this drug remains strictly prohibited for young people under 18 years of age.
“Legalize hemp!”
With this new law, Germany follows in the footsteps of Malta and Luxembourg, which legalized recreational cannabis in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
“The situation we are currently in is in no way acceptable,” declared Health Minister and doctor Karl Lauterbach (SPD) before the vote, referring to a “worrying criminal black market” and defending his text with all vigor against attacks from the right (CDU) and the far right (AfD).
For CDU MP Simone Borchardt, this law is “a pole extended to every dealer”.
The Greens called for the “legalization of hemp,” a longstanding demand from some factions of the party that even featured in a German song of the same name that was popular in the 2000s and mixed the voice of a party figure with reggae rhythms. The ecologist Hans-Christian Ströbele.
This text was the subject of disagreement within the three-party government: there was resistance from the Social Democrats (SPD, the Chancellor's party), while the Greens and the Liberals of the FDP, their government partners, were more positive.
This reform has also attracted numerous criticisms, particularly from medical associations and the judiciary.
The current law provides for a fine and, in the most serious cases, even a prison sentence for possession of cannabis.
“Cannabis clubs”
Germans appear to be rather divided on the issue: According to a YouGov poll published on Friday, 47% of respondents are in favor of legalization and 42% are against it.
According to the government, the reform should enable it to combat the black market more effectively, which is disputed by the conservative opposition, police unions and some SPD MPs.
Consumption near minors, schools, kindergartens and sports facilities remains prohibited. From July 1st, the cultivation and distribution of cannabis will only be possible through associations called “Cannabis Clubs”.
These clubs are allowed to sell a maximum of 25 grams per day and no more than 50 grams per month to their members, a maximum of 500 people. Only adults can become members. Between the ages of 18 and 21, they can only receive 30 grams of cannabis per month with an active ingredient content of THC limited to 10%.
These clubs are also responsible for distributing cannabis seeds and cuttings to their members for home cultivation, a maximum of seven seeds or five cuttings.
The health minister acknowledged that excessive cannabis use could be “dangerous” for young people whose brains develop up to the age of 25 and announced the launch of an awareness campaign.
Secondly, sales in specialized stores are to be legalized by a new law that will allow this procedure to be tested initially for five years in certain, as yet undesignated, regions.