It is official that over the span of the last months, the only thing we spend more time with than our “first crush” CBD Flowers is the Cannabis Legalization. Based in Berlin, sure we have an abo for first row attendance whenever the game is up in Germany, but we are not just crossing green thumbs for the local team. And so there was to take a look at South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine and the US as the news kept breaking all over. With legalization laws passed, passed laws adjusted, medical cannabis laws in the making and the general discussion on taking back a natural medicine to the legal side of life, we like to bring the headlines made to your attention with this blog post.
SMOOTH MOVES – GERMANY’S CAN LAW WILL BE ENFORCED
After it was announced that the new law on the legalisation of cannabis in Germany will not come into force at the beginning of 2024 as originally planned, the amended version of the draft is now available and the paper will be read by the Bundestag on 15 December. It should be possible to legally smoke a joint from 1 April. The cannabis clubs for distribution associated with the paper will not play a role until July 2024, as the associated authorisation procedures will take their own time.
Until then, home cultivation only. The regulations on this correspond to a toned-down version and instead of the amount of 50g planned by Health Minister Dr Karl Lauterbach, possession in private rooms has been raised to 60g. In public, everything up to 30g is legal. There were a few things that were supposed to become part of the green revolution far removed from reality, as we have reported on several occasions. It is therefore all the more pleasing that the planned ban on consumption within 100 meters of schools, nurseries and playgrounds has been reduced. This also affects the cannabis clubs’ visual regulation, which would have made it almost impossible to find a location in the city center if the 200m ban had been envisaged.
The solution that seemed most plausible, making marijuana available in licensed shops, will not be pursued further for the time being. Possibly in the second stage of legislation, but by then some crops will have been harvested. The focus is now primarily on regulating the necessary health protection and prevention for children and young people. And even if there are certainly things that still need to be criticized: The paradigm shift in the misguided drug policy is a step towards social reality and it is therefore to be hoped that the CanG will finally make its appearance. Nothing and no one better gonna stop that now!
LAND OF MILK HONEY – SOUTH AFRICA PASSES LEGALISATION BILL
And while the finish line of decriminalization can be seen in Germany, the starting shot has been fired for South Africa. The Supreme Court had already declared the cannabis ban unconstitutional in 2017 and called for a draft to be submitted by September 2024 that would make private use subject to legalization. Under current regulations, personal use and possession are permitted, with no quantity restrictions for either the flowers or the plants themselves. The approval of the National Council of Provinces and the National Assembly is now required, but as the Supreme Court had given the instruction, no resistance is to be expected.
Controversially, the legalization of cannabis as medicine is not being approved for the country’s own citizens, although medicinal cannabis from South Africa is available in German pharmacies. The political absurdities are therefore not an exclusively German side effect and asking the doctor or pharmacist will not change anything.
THAILAND’S CANNABIS TURNAROUND – LEGALISATION LAW IS BEING REVISED
Thailand’s decision to legalize cannabis in a rush last year has led to a boom that is not quite in harmony with political and social expectations. Shops have opened all over the country, and even in remote areas it is not uncommon to come across a cannabis shop every few meters. Although the legislation initially only authorized medicinal use, the situation has changed with the formation of a new government after the last elections.
Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew confirmed in mid-November that cannabis would not be reclassified as a narcotic, despite a revised draft bill. The paper is largely updated to remove legal grey areas and regulate private cultivation. While it was previously sufficient to register this on a platform, it will now require a license.
This also applies to existing cannabis shops, as the new law prohibits the sale of dried cannabis buds and smoking in associated premises. Further details are to be finalized by the end of the month and the contours of a regulated cannabis market will be discussed. We keep watchin`.
O HI CANNABIS – OHIO LEGALISED AS THE 24TH STATE IN THE USA
Ohio may not be the first state to legalize cannabis use, but it is playing a significant role in the growing industry. At the end of August, an official from the US Department of Health and Human Services recommended that marijuana be reclassified as a Schedule III drug. A month later, a decriminalization bill was passed by the Senate committee.
The law allows adults over the age of 21 to purchase and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, as well as grow some plants at home for personal use. Legal sales are subject to a 10% excise tax, as well as other local and state taxes. Proceeds are used for communities with dispensaries, programmes such as small and minority business development, and addiction treatment.
Ohio, a conservative and politically influential state, could be the catalyst for federal regulation of cannabis. “As Ohio goes, so goes the nation,” says Andrew Freedman, partner at Forbes Tate and executive director of the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education and Regulation. Support for legalization also continues to grow. According to a new Gallup poll, a record 70% of US adults are in favor. But despite this, cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, and marijuana is classified as a Schedule I substance, the strictest of all drug categories.
UKRAINE: HOPE FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA
After parliament passed legislation for medical purposes in a first vote in July, Ukraine is accelerating the legalization of medical marijuana. The public opinion is divided, and there is opposition among some lawmakers too. Nevertheless, the ruling party and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have reiterated their support for legalization. If approved, Ukrainians with a doctor’s prescription will be allowed to buy marijuana six months after the law comes into force. Recreational use will remain prohibited and production will be strictly controlled by the state.
JOINT VENTURE – NOTHING`S GONNA STOP US NOW
The debate about cannabis is also heating up in Italy and the voices of those in favor of legalization are getting louder. In Australia, the first draft of a new law on dealing with marijuana was presented back in August. In the state of Canberra, home cultivation has been permitted since 2020, as has the possession of up to 50 g of dried flowers or 150 g of moist flowers. It can therefore be assumed that the entire country will now follow the example. And so, despite the different approaches worldwide, the hope remains that the paradigm shift in drug policy will continue. We are keeping an eye on developments and looking forward to a future in which cannabis receives the recognition it deserves. Mission Unstoppable.
GO ALL THE WAY. GO GLOBAL. GO LEGAL.
