The German Ministry of Health has unveiled the first official draft of its bill to legalize cannabis and submitted it for consideration by state officials and the public.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said the country “can dry up the black market and fight crime by making it possible to sell cannabis to adults within clear limits”. He also pointed out that safeguards would be put in place to prevent young people from having access to cannabis.
Details of the future legalization of cannabis in Germany
The proposal would allow adults aged 18 and over to grow a maximum of three plants for their personal use. People would not be allowed to make concentrates from the cannabis.
Personal possession would be limited to 25 grams, with exceptions for people working in Cannabis Social Clubs. These Clubs could not be located within 200 meters of a school, and each town or district could only have one club for every 6,000 inhabitants.
The license to operate a Cannabis Club would be valid for a maximum of seven years, with the possibility of obtaining an extension after five years. According to the bill, membership in the Clubs should last at least two months.
After an administrative review, the first pillar of the legalization plan is expected to be submitted to cabinet next month. Authorities aim to separately release the second pillar which will concern the establishment of a pilot program for commercial cannabis sales in the second half of this year.
“Current developments show that cannabis use is increasing, especially among young people, despite existing prohibition regulations,” says the summary of the new bill.
“The law aims to contribute to better health protection, to strengthen cannabis education and prevention, to curb the illegal cannabis market and to strengthen the protection of children and young people. To protect consumers, it is necessary to control the quality of cannabis intended for consumption and to prevent the transfer of contaminated substances”.
“The bill will facilitate the responsible use of cannabis by consumers” can we read. “Private self-cultivation, non-commercial community self-cultivation and the controlled transfer of consumer cannabis to adults for their personal consumption are made possible. »
The 163-page summary of the bill also presents an estimate of the costs of implementing and regulating the program, as well as savings from reduced controls and new revenue expected to be generated from payroll taxes. people working in Cannabis Clubs.
As the German government works to move the first part of the legalization forward, there are plans to send legislation on the separate commercial pilot program to the European Commission for review before passing it into law.
The measure, as previously described by the authorities, would allow the sale of cannabis by retailers in certain jurisdictions in the country and as part of a pilot program that would allow the country to evaluate the continuation of the reform. over a period of five years. Specifically, authorities would study the stores’ impact on consumer trends and the illicit market. Localities will have to choose whether to allow these stores to open.
The health minister first released details of the revised legalization plan in April. The following month, he distributed the legislative text to cabinet members.
