The German parliament has voted to approve cannabis for private use, within limits. The opposition and some experts are against it. What is now allowed, what remains prohibited?
Small numbers of cannabis plants may be cultivated in Germany in future
For supporters, Friday’s decision in the Bundestag finally marks the end of criminalization, while opponents see an increased risk of young people turning to harder drugs even more than before: With the combined votes of the governing center-left coalition of Social Democrats (SPD), Greens, and business-focused Free Democrats (FDP), the Bundestag has approved the partial liberalization of cannabis use in Germany. Members of the Left Party also voted in favor.
In concrete terms, this means that from April 1, people over 18 in Germany will be allowed to own and carry 25 grams of cannabis for consumption. What’s more, hashish enthusiasts can now grow three cannabis plants in their own homes and store up to 50 grams of dried cannabis.
Consumers, as well as many politicians and health experts, have long been calling for the use of cannabis to be permitted in small quantities, partly to stop the police from spending time and resources on small dealers. In the 2021 coalition agreement, the three governing parties agreed on this in principle and wrote in their coalition agreement: “We are introducing the controlled supply of cannabis to adults for recreational purposes in licensed stores.”
But there is no longer any mention of such licensed stores in the law proposed by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) — at least not yet.
Initially, the government wants to allow and regulate private consumption, partly in order to relieve the burden on the police and judiciary. From July 1, private clubs with up to 500 members will also be allowed to grow cannabis plants collectively and distribute it to their members.
Commercial stores, such as those in many US states, will not be allowed for the time being, even though this was initially considered by the government. Cannabis consumption is also to be banned near schools, kindergartens, public playgrounds, and sports facilities, and on pedestrian zones in city centers between 7 am and 8 pm.
Legalization elsewhere in the EU
Germany is not the first European country to relax cannabis regulation. The use of small quantities of cannabis has long been decriminalized in Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and the Netherlands, though there too, certain rules remain in place: Possession is not legal in the Netherlands, for example; its use is only permitted in the famous coffee shops, and anyone wishing to enter them must be able to prove they are of legal age.
The debate about the possibility of legalization has always been characterized by two positions: Some doctors and health experts warn against trivializing cannabis. Neurologist Euphrosyne Gouzoulis-Mayfrank, incoming president of the German Society for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (DGPPN), has said: “Age is the crucial point in this discussion. I fear that with this law we are casting out the devil and replacing him with Beelzebub.”
Young people’s brains continue to develop until the age of 25, and cannabis can cause serious damage, particularly of a psychological nature. Other critics warn that the relatively harmless cannabis can be a gateway to harder substances. But supporters such as Janosch Dahmen, a Green Party Bundestag member and himself a doctor, disagree. “Rising cannabis consumption figures show that the prohibition policy of recent years has not led to fewer people consuming cannabis — on the contrary, consumption by young people in particular continues to increase,” he told DW.
“The aim of the Cannabis Act is therefore to make cannabis use and access safer for informed adults by preventing the distribution of contaminated cannabis substances and curbing the black market,” he added.
Cannabis consumption has indeed increased recently, especially among young adults between the ages of 18 and 25. According to the latest figures from the Federal Center for Health Education, half of young people had already used cannabis in 2021. The last time the figure was this high was over 50 years ago.
The government also wants to introduce an amnesty for previously punishable cases, which will be permitted in future. This prompted the managing director of the German Association of Judges, Sven Rebehn, to speak out, telling the RND news network: “The judiciary is expecting up to 100,000 files to be reviewed nationwide.” Hardly manageable, says Rebehn. The issue of cannabis therefore remains a hot topic in Germany, even after the first step towards free consumption.
This article was originally written in German.
While you’re here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing.
Author: Jens Thurau
News Related
-
, Nov. 28 — One of the most anticipated Android releases for 2023 has been the Google Pixel 8 lineup. The Pixel series is often considered the best of what Android has to offer since it brings the true stock Android experience. The Pixel 8 Pro was globally released on ...
See Details:
Google Pixel 8 Pro Review: Is this the best Android phone of 2023?
-
A blank space or an (NR) indicates no readings received. An (e) indicates that the water level has been estimated. An (w) indicates that the conditions were very windy, resulting in an inaccurate reading. Omatjenne Dam does not have abstraction facilities. The dam contents are according to the latest dam ...
See Details:
Namwater Dam Bulletin on Monday 27 November 2023
-
Dhaka, Nov. 27 — Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus has been appointed chair of the international advisory board of Moscow’s Financial University (under the government of the Russian Federation). On November 23, he joined a high-level strategic meeting with Prof Stanislav Prokofiev, Rector of the Financial University, and his colleagues. ...
See Details:
Dr Yunus appointed chair of Moscow Financial University's international advisory board
-
In a pivotal encounter at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty20 World Cup Africa Final Monday, the Cricket Cranes faced Nigeria, knowing that a win could significantly boost their chances of securing one of the coveted tickets to the 2024 T20 World Cup in West Indies and the USA.Nigeria won ...
See Details:
Victory over Nigeria puts Uganda on the brink
-
Capture 1 The Bank Ghana (BoG) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has maintained the key policy rate at 30 percent, while introducing additional liquidity management measures to address excess liquidity and reinforce the disinflation process. Announcing the committee’s decision on Monday following its 115th meeting, BoG Governor Dr. Ernest Addison said ...
See Details:
BoG holds policy rate at 30%, tightens liquidity measures
-
Renita Holmes has been displaced four times in the past three years by rising rents With sea levels rising around the globe, Miami, in the US state of Florida, is facing an urgent need to adapt. As property investors turn their gaze inland, away from the exclusive low-lying beach area, ...
See Details:
When sea levels rise, so does your rent
-
Picture2 In a groundbreaking moment, Mrs. Adelaide Siaw Agyepong, CEO-American International School, has achieved yet another milestone by being crowned ‘Icon of Inspiration and Impact for the Year 2023’. The crowning achievement took place in Accra, where Mrs. Siaw Agyepong surpassed contemporaries to clinch this prestigious title at the 5th ...
See Details:
American International School CEO honoured as ‘Icon of Inspiration and Impact’
-
Freetown’s streets were almost empty on Sunday after a curfew was imposed Gunmen in Sierra Leone attacked a military barracks and freed hundreds of prisoners in a “co-ordinated and properly planned” attack, the country’s information minister has said. Sierra Leoneans spent Sunday under a nationwide curfew amid disarray in capital ...
See Details:
Sierra Leone prison breaks co-ordinated - minister
-
Freetown’s streets were almost empty on Sunday after a curfew was imposed Gunmen in Sierra Leone attacked a military barracks and freed hundreds of prisoners in a “co-ordinated and properly planned” attack, the country’s information minister has said. Sierra Leoneans spent Sunday under a nationwide curfew amid disarray in capital ...
See Details:
Address the rise of single parenthood
-
Freetown’s streets were almost empty on Sunday after a curfew was imposed Gunmen in Sierra Leone attacked a military barracks and freed hundreds of prisoners in a “co-ordinated and properly planned” attack, the country’s information minister has said. Sierra Leoneans spent Sunday under a nationwide curfew amid disarray in capital ...
See Details:
Hyundai Chief Picked as Auto Industry Leader of the Year
-
Freetown’s streets were almost empty on Sunday after a curfew was imposed Gunmen in Sierra Leone attacked a military barracks and freed hundreds of prisoners in a “co-ordinated and properly planned” attack, the country’s information minister has said. Sierra Leoneans spent Sunday under a nationwide curfew amid disarray in capital ...
See Details:
Unmarried People Under 35 Outnumber Married Ones
-
Freetown’s streets were almost empty on Sunday after a curfew was imposed Gunmen in Sierra Leone attacked a military barracks and freed hundreds of prisoners in a “co-ordinated and properly planned” attack, the country’s information minister has said. Sierra Leoneans spent Sunday under a nationwide curfew amid disarray in capital ...
See Details:
European interior ministers in Hungary to discuss migration
-
Freetown’s streets were almost empty on Sunday after a curfew was imposed Gunmen in Sierra Leone attacked a military barracks and freed hundreds of prisoners in a “co-ordinated and properly planned” attack, the country’s information minister has said. Sierra Leoneans spent Sunday under a nationwide curfew amid disarray in capital ...
See Details:
Japan on the watch for unlicensed taxis around Narita airport amid foreign tourism spike
-
Freetown’s streets were almost empty on Sunday after a curfew was imposed Gunmen in Sierra Leone attacked a military barracks and freed hundreds of prisoners in a “co-ordinated and properly planned” attack, the country’s information minister has said. Sierra Leoneans spent Sunday under a nationwide curfew amid disarray in capital ...
See Details:
ECOWAS to send high-powered delegation on solidarity visit to Sierra Leone
OTHER NEWS
Despite doing education at the university, Mellon Kenyangi, also known as Mama Bear, did not think of going to class, and teaching students was her dream job.“Since it was not ...
Read more »
213 Sri Lanka Cricket’s Chairman of Selectors, Pramodya Wickramasinghe reported to the Sports Ministry’s Special Investigation Unit( SMSIU) for the Prevention of Sports Offences yesterday for the second day. He ...
Read more »
137 Malindu Dairy (Pvt) Ltd., a leading food production company in Sri Lanka, won the Silver Award in the medium-scale dairy and associated products category at the Industrial Excellence Awards ...
Read more »
Africans Urged to Invest Among themselves, Explore Investment Opportunities in Continent Addis Ababa, November 27/2023(ENA)-The Embassy of Angola in Ethiopia has organized lecture on the “Foreign Investment Opportunities in Angola ...
Read more »
144 The dynamic front row player Mohan Wimalaratne will lead the Police Sports Club Rugby team at the upcoming Nippon Paint Sri Lanka Rugby Major League XV-a-side Rugby Tournament scheduled ...
Read more »
Dozens of people living with disabilities from New Hope Inclusive in Entumbane, Bulawayo on Saturday last week received an early Christmas gift in the form of groceries. The groceries were ...
Read more »
The East African Community (EAC) Summit of Heads of State has admitted the Federal Republic of Somalia to the regional bloc, making it its 8th member country. The decision was ...
Read more »