Germany moves forward with revised plan for cannabis legalisation – what’s the latest?

Via Newsweed 

The revised plan for the legalisation of cannabis in Germany is expected to be submitted to the cabinet by mid-August, according to reports. 

The timetable for the process of legalising adult-use cannabis in Germany is becoming clearer.

According to information from German media, the revised legislation should be presented to the government by mid-August.

Katja Mast, parliamentary secretary of the SPD group in the Bundestag, said: “I expect the bill to reach us in parliament at the latest after the non-session period.” The date of this  corresponds with the middle of August.

The project is currently being coordinated between the ministries , but according to Masta, the key points presented in April by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) and Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) in April constitute ‘a good basis’ for the legislation. 

Germany’s revised legalisation project

In October last year, Lauterbach announced the initial plans to implement the full legalisation of adult-use cannabis, with controlled sales in specialised stores. 

However the proposals struggled to gain the approval of the European Union which reportedly considers the full legalisation of cannabis incompatible with EU rules.

Instead the ruling coalition has been developing plans for a ‘lighter’ cannabis legalisation project, which were presented by Lauterbach and Özdemir in April. 

Under the new proposals, cannabis would initially be removed from the Narcotic Control Act and personal possession of up to 25 grams permitted. Individuals would be allowed to grow up to four plants and a network of Cannabis Social Clubs would provide access to cannabis through a membership system.

In the second phase, the commercial cultivation and sale of cannabis at specialised points of sale or pharmacies under ‘licensed and government controlled framework’ would be tested for five years in pilot regions. The results will be monitored by scientific research bodies.

READ MORE: What do Germany’s plans for reform mean for patients?

A ‘paradigm’ shift in drug policy 

Several points of the new proposals are still under discussion. 

Lauterbach, for example, wants to ban the sale of edibles, but some members of the FDP and the Greens consider this form of cannabis consumption to be less harmful than combustion.

For the model regions, a second draft law will be necessary and will have to be examined by the EU.

“We are counting on the draft law on regional and municipal pilot projects in the fall,” said Mast. 

“We want a paradigm shift in drug policy. For us, the legalisation of cannabis is not only a matter of justice, but is necessary in particular in the light of the protection of children and young people as well as the protection of health.”

This article was originally published by Newsweed and is reprinted here with permission. 

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