Last week, the new German government officially submitted its coalition agreement. This is a government agreement that outlines the new government’s social, economic, and environmental reforms. Among these decisions is the highly anticipated legalization of cannabis for recreational use.
Cannabis Legalization: What Does German Law Say?
After 16 years in power, Angela Merkel is stepping down to make way for Olaf Scholz, who was elected chancellor thanks to an unprecedented alliance between his Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Greens (Die Grünen), and the Free Democratic Party (FDP).
In the coalition agreement—a document more than 100 pages long—the newly elected government plans, among other things, to legalize cannabis.
Thus, the coalition states in its proposal: “We are introducing the regulated distribution of cannabis to adults for recreational use in licensed stores, which allows us to ensure quality, prevent the distribution of contaminated substances, and protect public health.”
As it prepares to take the reins of government, the coalition has stated that it also wants to expand “drug testing” to ensure that the drugs being sold are not laced with other dangerous substances.
In fact, in 2018, the Berlin magazine “Zitty” conducted an investigation into the quality of cannabis sold throughout the city. Of the nine cannabis samples analyzed, eight were adulterated with other substances—some of which were hazardous to health—such as hairspray, sand, or adhesive, which are often used to increase the weight of cannabis flowers.
Germany is also increasingly concerned about the rise of synthetic cannabinoids on the market: they have a very high THC content and pose a real threat to consumers’ health, particularly among young people.
By legalizing cannabis, the German government hopes to provide consumers with greater safety through clearer regulations.
Germany and Cannabis
Germany was already among the most open countries on the issue of cannabis and had, in fact, authorized its use for medical purposes since 2017.
In some cities, such as Berlin, it is also legal to possess a few grams for personal use only.
Olaf Scholz’s government therefore hopes to take a major step forward toward fully legalizing cannabis. If it succeeds, Germany will become thesecondEuropean country to allow cannabis use, afterLuxembourg, which legalized it last October.
To support this decision, the coalition wants to tax cannabis in the same way as alcohol and expects to generate up to 1.8 billion euros in revenue, as well as create nearly 27,000 new jobs.
Although nothing has been announced yet on this matter, cannabis is expected to be sold in tobacco shops, specialty stores, and pharmacies.
Four years after its implementation, the impact of this law will be reassessed so that it can be adjusted.
While Germany is once again moving toward the legalization of cannabis, the issue remains a source of division within the country.
However,given its therapeutic benefits and its undeniable role in our well-being, we hope that cannabis will be legalized and that this progress will inspire other neighboring countries, starting with France.
At our CBD shop, we sell only legal products that have been carefully selected to comply with current laws.
