The German government has approved the long-awaited bill that aims to legalize the consumption of hashish among adults in the country.
This resolution positions Germany as the second EU country, after Malta, to take this step towards legalisation.
Despite many obstacles and criticisms in its efforts to legalize hashish, the German coalition government has remained true to its commitment to the non-public use of hashish. In addition, it has taken steps to initiate a debate aimed at dismantling barriers that could potentially allow European countries to identify a legal hashish market.
The government approved the proposed hashish legislation, which is based on a two-pillar key issues document.
With this approval, the government enacts the first pillar, which allows adults to grow hashish for personal, non-commercial and online use.
“The Cannabis Act marks a turning point in what has been a political failure when it comes to cannabis-based drugs,” German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said in a statement, stressing that coverage of minors is at the heart of the entire legislative process. project.
The text approved by the Government has not undergone any significant adjustment with respect to the planned version.
As for consumption, the proposed law allows adults to possess up to 25 grams of hashish, grow 3 plants, or join nonprofit hashish clubs, which can distribute hashish through licensed personal cultivation associations with a limit of 500 members. Members can purchase up to 25 grams per day or 50 grams per month.
“There were no surprises at the Cabinet meeting, and now one thing is clear: Europe’s largest economy, located at the heart of the European Union, is ushering in a new era for hashish,” said Niklas Kouparanis, chief executive and co-founder of Bloomwell Group. a medicinal hashish holding company based in Germany.
The measure is weaker than the initial proposal. Last year, Minister Lauterbach presented a plan to allow the distribution of hashish in advertising establishments. However, this idea was abandoned due to opposition from the European Commission.
Kouparanis argues that the ultimate goal is to complete the legalization of the price chain of hashish for adult use, which encompasses cultivation, processing, production and sale.
“This will require cooperation with many other progressive countries in the hashish sector within the EU,” he said.
The German government is also preparing to release the second pillar of hashish legalization. The aim is to launch a series of regional pilot programs that allow the sale of hashish in a limited number of licensed stores, with the aim of collecting data on the sale of recreational hashish will affect the population, as Switzerland and other European countries are already doing.
One of the most significant achievements of the bill would be the reclassification of cannabis and its effect on access to the medical cannabis market.
Kouparanis noted that the reclassification of hashish is very important, as it makes medicinal hashish more available to patients.
“This marks a vital milestone for physicians, patients and industry players, paving the way for improved healthcare and industry growth. Overcoming old bureaucratic hurdles similar to classifying hashish narcotics, the law foresees potential annual savings of $2. 3 million ($2. 5). million). ) for pharmaceutical wholesalers in the medical hashish trade,” he said.
In addition, doctors’ offices could see their compliance costs drop by about 719,000 euros (about $782,000) per year, according to Kouparanis.
It remains to be seen how the German hashish social club will be able to meet customer demand.
For Kouparanis, hashish social clubs may struggle to fund cultivation on a larger scale. Some companies could offer an all-in-one solution, allowing clubs to grow hashish for a monthly fee rather than upfront capital.
“German medical hashish corporations can help clubs by offering them infrastructure and expertise. It will probably be a while before clubs produce a significant amount,” he said.
Opposition lawmakers strongly oppose the legislation, fearing it would encourage hashish consumption and affect the work of authorities.
However, the bill will most likely pass when lawmakers meet for the scheduled after their summer recess.
Several European countries have already followed the decriminalization of hashish consumption among adults for years.
Malta led the way by allowing the cultivation and private ownership of hashish at the end of 2021, becoming the first EU member country to do so. If Germany follows suit, it would mark a step as the largest economy in Europe to take similar measures.