The traffic light coalition has approved the draft law by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) to legalize cannabis. This clears the way for a radical reversal in German drug policy, which has been the subject of heated debate for months.
Lauterbach describes the draft law at the presentation as a “turning point in a cannabis drug policy that unfortunately failed”. The aim is to push back the black market and drug-related crime and curb the dealing in adulterated substances. “The protection of children and young people is a central part of the entire legislative project,” emphasizes the Minister of Health. An awareness campaign aimed at young people will raise awareness of the dangers of cannabis. “Brains that are still growing can be permanently damaged by consumption,” explains Lauterbach.
What is the draft?
The drug cannabis is to be removed from the Narcotics Act, where it has been listed as a prohibited substance alongside heroin, LSD and cocaine. The possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis is not punishable, such a quantity may also be carried in public. Up to three “female flowering plants” would be allowed in home cultivation. They only have to be protected against access by children and young people.
Will there soon be cannabis shops in German cities?
No, the originally planned specialist shops violate EU law. It won’t exist for now. Instead, “non-profit” associations are to grow cannabis collectively for recreational purposes. They then pass the material on to their maximum of 500 members for their own consumption. A maximum of 25 grams of cannabis per day and a maximum of 50 grams per month may be dispensed per club member. Under 21-year-olds get a maximum of 30 grams per month, and an upper limit on the active ingredient content should also be set for them. The law provides for numerous other requirements for the clubs.
Only in a second step will “commercial supply chains” be tried out in pilot projects in districts and cities in several federal states, from production and distribution to the sale of cannabis in specialist shops. The projects are scientifically monitored and are limited to five years.
What’s next?
When the law comes into force depends on when it will be discussed and passed in the Bundestag after the summer break. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, the Bundesrat is not subject to approval. According to Lauterbach’s plan, cannabis legalization should come into force by the end of the year at the latest.
What do opponents of the bill say?
CDU politicians in particular have criticized Lauterbach’s plans. They fear a “normalization” of the drug and warn of falling inhibitions, especially among young people. “This law will involve a complete loss of control,” said Saxony’s CDU interior minister, Armin Schuster Editorial network Germany. His counterpart from NRW, Herbert Reul (also CDU), warns that the traffic light coalition will not burden the police and judiciary less, but more.
Jochen Kopelke, the federal chairman of the police union (GdP), fears the same thing. There is no sufficiently long transition phase, which will “inevitably lead to massive uncertainties, if not conflicts between the authorities and the population”. The draft will cause major problems for the police, he says.