The German parliament, the Bundestag, has a meeting on Friday afternoon a law passed which allows the recreational use of cannabis, German media report. If the Federal Council also agrees next month, from April 1, everyone over the age of 18 in Germany will be allowed to carry 25 grams of cannabis in public spaces and 50 grams at home. But sales are subject to extremely strict rules.
The discussion about legalizing cannabis has been going on in Germany for years. Supporters want to make the use of soft drugs safer, while opponents fear that drug use will increase significantly. Ultimately, 407 members of the Bundestag voted in favor, 226 against and four abstained.
There will be non-profit ‘cannabis clubs’ that you have to become a member of and that may have a maximum of five hundred members. Up to 50 grams of cannabis can be purchased there, but not used. Germany does not want people to ‘consume socially’, as is the case in some Dutch coffee shops, and to be able to buy soft drugs just anywhere. That is only possible at your own club. Three plants may be kept at home for personal use. Original proposals regarding sales through specialized stores and pharmacies have been scrapped.
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Tackling the black market
“We have two goals,” Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said before the debate on his law. “Tackling the black market and better protecting children and young people.”
Responding to criticism that it is “ridiculous” to think that by legalizing drugs you can limit drug use among young people, Lauterbach said that “we should not bury our heads in the sand.” According to him, drug use has increased significantly in recent years, but the drugs sold on the street are not pure and therefore dangerous. According to the government, illegal cannabis is often treated with chemicals to make the effect stronger.
Cannabis remains prohibited for minors and it may not be used near schools, sports fields and playgrounds. It is estimated that around 4.5 million Germans use cannabis.
It has been agreed that the German government will map out the consequences of the law in the coming years and may then move to broader regulated sales in specialized stores.