Intention but a lack of pragmatism before the finish line. This is how the legalization of cannabis in Luxembourg could be summarized.
Although the legalization project was indeed adopted last June by the government, the Luxembourg Minister of Health recently declared that she was not sure of being able to “finalize it during this legislature”, while the Luxembourg Council of State must give their opinion before the legalization takes effect.
“We must evolve in a framework where the objective is to show that this project can have an impact on public health in a positive way”, confided Paulette Lenert, adding to the microphone of radio 100.7 that the file is followed by near.
Luxembourg legalized medical cannabis in 2018. The same year, the Grand Duchy showed its desire to legalize cannabis for adult use. The first details of the legalization project emerged in early 2020, initially with a ban on self-cultivation and national cannabis production.
Finally, it will be the opposite that will be proposed: an authorization to cultivate 4 plants per household with a national production of seeds (and the authorized importation of seeds), but no legal sales of cannabis. Either a system halfway between decriminalization and complete legalization, which for the moment has not been able to motivate the government to act.
At the end of 2021, Luxembourg’s neighboring countries – France and Germany – were worried that cannabis would be added to the list of products imported by cross-border workers after alcohol, tobacco or fuel. With Germany having since announced its intention to legalize cannabis, with a system of legal sales, only one grumpy neighbor remains.