84 pages and numerous amendments to the law: The draft bill on the “Law on the Controlled Use of Cannabis and on the Amendment of Other Regulations” is available. In its short form called “CannG”, it is currently going through the ranks of the expert politicians and parliamentary groups of the Bundestag.
Everything is green. If all else won’t fail, Germany will be another step closer to the legalization of marijuana. We reported on the key data underlying the regulatory changes in April. In the spotlight of the paper; Cannabis clubs. After all, without them there will be no distribution anyway. Called “Cultivation Association” in the draft bill, both the distribution and the cultivation are to be carried out via just those. Adults will then be allowed to obtain 25g per day and a maximum of 50g per month for personal consumption.
FREE TRADE REMAINS A FUTURE SCENARIO
The originally planned trade, which was intended to be much more liberal, would have reached its limits at EU level. Hence the idea of clubs in the first place, as they are known above all from Spain. A second pillar of liberalisation, planned for autumn, will then provide for pilot projects in selected municipalities. So the federal government does not want to completely let go of the idea that there will be more than light legalization at some point. For even if the EU keeps out of all things consumption, it has more than a say in trade. So if the planned model regions in Germany demonstrably help to control the black market, this could also lead to an adjustment of EU regulations.
Die Welt has taken the model regions planned by Health Minister Prof. Dr. Lauterbach as the occasion for a survey. According to the survey, at least 11 German cities are interested in the implementation. In detail, this means that cannabis will then be sold in specialised shops with scientific support in these municipalities. The studies will then be the basis for any decisions regarding free trade.
| Pro Modellprojekt | Anti Modellprojekt |
|---|---|
| Frankfurt am Main | Aachen |
| Offenbach | Essen |
| München | Eisenach |
| Bremen | Nürnberg |
| Hannover | Freiburg |
| Bonn | |
| Tübingen | |
| Leipzig | |
| Schwerin | |
| Wiesbaden | |
| Darmstadt |
Germany as a model country for cannabis legalization. Sounds more than good, but it is not. There are some things that already seem questionable. For example, the view of the Ministry of Transport. If Volker Wissing (FDP) has his way, the slightest consumption of cannabis will make one unfit to participate in road traffic. Controversial to countless studies that show that only after exceeding a certain limit, impairments can be observed.
THC LIMIT – REGULATED SUBSTANCE CONTENT
But let’s stick to what is currently written. One detail that is not yet known is the regulation on the maximum THC content. The plants grown may contain a maximum of 10 percent. Strictly forbidden is the mixture with tobacco, alcohol and any other additives.
CANNABIS – BUT NOT WITHOUT STRICT REGULATIONS
The requirements for running a club are also strict. In addition to extensive documentation requirements, there will be strict security measures. Authorities will be able to carry out checks at any time if there is the slightest suspicion, and they will also be able to revoke licences in the event of the slightest infringement. The reporting obligation will be based on cultivation quantity, THC and CBD content, as well as expired quantity. And meticulously kept membership directories.
Private cultivation is no less strict. A maximum of three flowering plants per year are allowed, should they disturb the neighbour or be accessible to others: Houston, you have a problem. Violations can result in up to three years’ imprisonment. This, in turn, can also apply to possession of more than 25g. Cannabis will no longer be included in the Narcotics Act.
Existing sentences will be deleted from the register. As long as they are none according to the new law, of course.
What are we to make of this? Every step towards legalization is better than none. In the EU, almost all states have somehow understood that dealing with marijuana as a drug is completely unjustified. Legalization is the only thing that is up to date. Above all, fair. After all, cats are not treated like dogs either, and cannabis is now more than famously classified as far from a drug. But as a plant that goes way before our time in its history and whose influence on our well-being has been proven more than often. The bottom line is that it has long since arrived in the midst of our society.
So why exactly are the CDU-led states in Germany vehemently opposed to legislation? Someone always has a reason. The argumentation, on the other hand, has unfortunately become almost ridiculous. Bavaria’s Health Minister Klaus Holetschek: “Let there be no misunderstanding: I don’t want a bill that would be easier to implement. I don’t want cannabis legalization at all. We don’t need legal recreational use of cannabis, and therefore we don’t need cannabis clubs.” Okay. So may everything just not be wishful thinking.
As long as the bill is in circulation, members of the Bundestag and the parliamentary groups are holding back on making statements. This should change in the next step, when the hearing with the associations begins. After that the draft will make its way to the federal cabinet, followed by deliberation in the Bundestag.
So if the wishes of some do not come true, but those of others do, we could still expect a change in the law by the end of the year. And if we still had one wish left, just hypothetically, guess what:
LEGALIZE NOW!
Photo: Alena A / Shutterstock
