Legalization of Cannabis: The Live Ticker of Cannabis Legalization 2024

The traffic light coalition finally decided on the legalization of cannabis on February 23, 2024 , based on the key points paper of October 26, 2022. Cannabis can be consumed legally from April 1, 2024!

Below we will give you a current report on the events, show the goals of cannabis legalization in Germany and discuss the effects of decriminalization. We will also list the positive and negative aspects of the legalization initiated by Karl Lauterbach and Cem Özdemir, summarize the main contents of the new draft law and provide information on what to consider when growing your own cannabis. At the end we will also discuss cannabis clubs and provide information on the two-pillar model of the traffic light government.

Cannabis legalization - current

We always keep you up to date. Our blog post provides regular updates on the status of cannabis legalization in Germany. Here is an overview of the most important information on cannabis legalization:

• On February 23, 2024, the German Bundestag decided that hemp with THC content may be consumed legally from April 1, 2024 .
• The regulations on cultivation in cultivation associations will come into force on July 1, 2024.

Goals of Cannabis Legalization in Germany

There are three main goals that are being pursued with the legalization of the herb in Germany: protecting children and young people, easing the burden on the police and the judiciary, and providing consumers with greater security.

decriminalization of cannabis consumption

The decriminalization of cannabis is imminent. But what exactly does "decriminalization" mean? It does not actually mean that it will be a completely legal drug for adults, like tobacco or alcohol, which will be completely legalized. According to Health Minister Lauterbach, decriminalization in this case means much more that cultivation and possession up to a certain amount will be permitted and will no longer be prosecuted as before.

The partial legalization decided by the German Bundestag is intended to reduce the black market, making consumption safer overall. Furthermore, the federal government's law enforcement agencies can make better use of their resources and use them for "more important" things, such as crimes involving harder drugs. By drying up the black market, young people, children and adolescents, will also be better protected from access to cannabis products.

Another consequence of decriminalization is a more open approach to cannabis users and patients. Today, those who consume the herb, whether for medical or recreational purposes, are still stigmatized in German society.

Cannabis legalization pro

• Safe consumption : Consumption is safer because, according to Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, the risk of contamination is very low if you buy it legally. In addition, consumers know what THC content is in the respective cannabis products and do not have to worry about synthetic cannabinoids.
• Safe purchase : Consumers do not have to go to dark corners or the black market or illegal cannabis shops and buy hemp from dubious characters.
• Relief for the judiciary : The burden on the police and the judiciary will be reduced, as fewer crimes will be prosecuted and resources of the criminal authorities will have to be used as a result of the legalisation of cannabis.
• More tax money : If complete legalization were to take place so that the drug could also be purchased in licensed specialist shops, this step could generate several billion euros in tax money.

Cannabis legalization versus

• Risk of addiction : Even if THC-containing hemp is legalized, it will still be a drug. According to the German Central Office for Addiction Issues, cannabis is the most widely used drug in the world after alcohol and nicotine. There is a real risk of cannabis addiction and physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms can occur.
• Impact on the brain : The drug can have negative effects on the brain, particularly in young people. This applies particularly to the ability to concentrate and remember.

Essential Contents of the Cannabis Act

The new draft law provides for decriminalization or partial legalization in two steps. The first step will allow people to grow their own cannabis plants and purchase them in small quantities in so-called cannabis clubs. These are not licensed specialist shops, but rather non-profit associations with non-commercial or non-profit intentions. These clubs should also be able to offer their members health education. In addition, the exact THC content of the cannabis products sold there should be available.

In the second step, according to the new plans and as requested by the German Hemp Association, the drug will be available in licensed shops, albeit initially only in model regions. It is not yet known whether the hemp purchased there must not exceed a certain THC limit. However, in order to expand the second step, the green light from the EU Commission is required.

Since there is also legal progress in terms of drug checking, it will probably be possible for consumers to find out the THC level of their herb with the help of the relevant institutions. Where drug checking is already possible today as part of model projects can be found on the government's website.

It is still unclear how many nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood serum will be allowed in traffic. Since it is still an illegal drug, police tolerance is currently very strict in this regard. It remains to be seen whether drug policy will increase the limits.

Growing your own cannabis plants in the course of legalization

Cannabis policy has decided that private cultivation of cannabis plants should be permitted in the future - although not without restrictions: a maximum of three female flowering plants may be owned and these must be protected from access by adolescents or young people. It is also planned that the seeds and/or cuttings required for this can be obtained from cannabis clubs. Whether non-members can also obtain these from them was not discussed in the joint press conference in which the new law was presented by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir.

introduction of cannabis social clubs

According to the cannabis plans of SPD politician Karl Lauterbach and the federal government, access to legal cannabis should be possible in so-called cannabis clubs or cannabis social clubs when legalization is planned. These are non-profit, non-commercial associations in which the sale of hemp takes place according to certain rules.

You can read about exactly what the rules are and what a non-profit cannabis club has to offer in our article Cannabis Social Club Berlin .

The basis is the two-pillar model

Following the federal government's key points for the planned legalization of cannabis, which were decided in mid-April 2023, the two-pillar model CARe ("Club Cultivation & Regional Model") was presented to the public. Pillar 1 stands for home cultivation or the purchase of cannabis through associations or cannabis clubs.

The second pillar represents regional model projects in which cannabis is sold in licensed specialist shops. Whether Pillar 2 is discontinued or expanded depends on the outcome of this measure. However, legal sales with commercial supply chains could become problematic even if the regional model projects are positive, as Germany is an EU country and there is still no valid EU framework decision on cannabis sales.