Law Germany

[Baron23]

Original plans to allow licensed shops and pharmacies to sell cannabis have been scrapped over EU concerns that this could lead to a surge in drug exports.
Instead, non-commercial members' clubs, dubbed "cannabis social clubs", will grow and distribute a limited amount of the drug.

Fucking up a wet dream is a politicians superpower. Wow....so, congrats on legalization but the social club vice controlled, licensed growing, testing, selling is a very weird position and I bet it changes in not too very long a time.

 

[im not a robot]

so maybe i spoke too soon.
i found no good english article on this, and i am unfortunately a bit too tired to explain properly, but it looks like our second house of parliament (bundesrat) might "call for a mediation process" which is bad news. the legislation itself does not need approval from the second house. but the whole process could be dragged out for a long long long long time, and by then who knows who will govern this country. so effectively, with some bad luck, the whole process could still fail after all.
what makes this so incredibly painful to accept is that if this happens, it will be the fault of the self-proclaimed supporters of legalisation - not the ultra conservatives who of course have no interest in this bill passing.

there is an email campaign from the german hanfverband / cannabis lobby i would like to link to here. i hope thats ok. anyone who feels so inclined, please do consider participating, it only takes a few seconds, but it will ask you to annoy some german politicians. you could help them understand they could be making a historical blunder. the link is translated by google to make this a bit more easy to navigate: https://hanfverband-de.translate.go...=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp#grune-baden-wurttemberg

this email campaign targets those members of the bundesrat (2nd house) that belong to parties that have passed the legalisation law in the bundestag (1st house) just some weeks ago (the greens, the social democrats, the liberal democrats). they are all supposedly supporters of legalising cannabis, they have - at least to some extend - collected votes on the promise of supporting the legalisation of cannabis, and they now would have the numbers to let the law pass against the strong opposition from the hardcore conservatives and make it real. but they are now risking that the whole enterprise fails for reasons that i will not try to explain here (but which are addressed if you follow the above link).
hope this made some sense, off to sleep. this will be voted on the 22nd of march, fingers crossed. thanks + goodnight

 

[im not a robot]

phew!

Germany Legalizes Cannabis​

Germany's Federal Council has approved the legalization of cannabis, marking a historic shift in the country's drug policy. Despite significant opposition from some federal states and warnings of dire consequences, the legislation will take effect as scheduled on April 1st. This is reported by German, Welt.de.



Health Minister Karl Lauterbach heralded the decision as "groundbreaking."
The decision came after a contentious debate in the Federal Council, where representatives from several states expressed grave concerns about the potential negative impact of cannabis legalization. However, their efforts to delay the law's implementation through a mediation process failed to garner enough support.
Under the new law, adults will be allowed to consume cannabis and possess and grow it in limited quantities. The legislation was pushed through by the traffic light coalition, comprising the SPD, the Greens, and the FDP, aiming to change the course of drug policy in Germany.
Despite the law's passage, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, and Saarland had called for a mediation committee, hoping to stall the legislation. Other states, faced with internal disagreements among coalition partners, opted to abstain from voting. A notable moment occurred when Saxony's inconsistent vote, due to a split between coalition partners, was declared invalid, highlighting the divisive nature of the issue.


Health Minister Lauterbach criticized the previous decade's cannabis policy as a failure, pointing to increased consumption among youth, a rise in drug-related deaths, and the expanding black market as indicators of the need for a new approach. He anticipates that the new law will significantly reduce the black market's presence.
Critics, such as Bavaria's Health Minister Judith Gerlach, argue that the law is misguided and will impose substantial administrative and enforcement costs on the states. Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer expressed a fundamental opposition to drug legalization, emphasizing the personal and central nature of the issue.
The police union anticipates challenges and an increased burden on law enforcement, expecting officers to face numerous conflicts with citizens due to uncertainties surrounding the new regulations.



Under the new rules, adults over the age of 18 can possess up to 25 grams of cannabis for personal use and store up to 50 grams at home. Home cultivation of up to three plants is allowed, and from July, cannabis clubs will be permitted to grow and sell the drug on a limited basis. Public consumption is restricted, particularly near children's and youth facilities and sports grounds, with smoking in pedestrian zones allowed only after 8 p.m. The legislation strictly prohibits cannabis for minors.
Germany's cannabis legalization represents a significant shift in drug policy, aiming to curb the black market and address the failures of past regulations. However, the move also raises concerns about its implications for public health, law enforcement, and societal attitudes toward drug use.

 

[Baron23]

Germany’s Marijuana Legalization Bill Is Officially Signed Into Law And Will Take Effect On Monday​

A bill to legalize marijuana nationwide in Germany has officially been signed into law, with the reform set to take effect next week.
Bundesrat President Manuela Schwesig signed the legislation on Wednesday, the last step to enactment. Usually German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier would sign legislation, but because he’s currently away on vacation, that responsibility was handed down to the head of the legislative chamber representing individual states.


This comes one week after members of the Bundesrat reached a deal with Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and other government ministers and declined to refer the cannabis legislation to a mediation committee that would have delayed implementation by six months. Instead, the law will go into force on Monday as planned.
Vice President Kamala Harris holds roundtable on marijuana policies

The Bundestag passed the marijuana legalization measure last month. The Bundesrat previously tried to block the proposed reform in September but ultimately failed.


Effective April 1, adults will be allowed to possess up to 25 grams of cannabis and grow up to three plants for personal use. Then, beginning July 1, adults could join “social clubs” where they could buy up to 25 grams of cannabis, with a cap of 50 grams per month. That cap is 30 grams for members under 21 years old.


Social clubs cannot be located near schools or playgrounds, and each jurisdiction could have only one club for every 6,000 residents. Clubs will be limited to 500 members and will need a a social club permit, which would be valid for up to seven years with the possibility of receiving an extension.


There will be an official analysis of the effects of legalization on youth safety that must be completed within 18 months of enactment under the newly signed

law

.


Officials are eventually planning to introduce a complementary second measure that would establish pilot programs for commercial sales in cities throughout the country. That legislation is expected to be unveiled after its submitted to the European Commission for review.


Last month’s floor vote in the Bundestag came weeks after leaders of the coalition government announced that they’d reached a final agreement on the legalization bill, resolving outstanding concerns, primarily from the SPD.



A final Bundestag vote on the legalization bill that was initially planned in December was ultimately called off amid concerns from SPD leaders.

 

[momofthegoons]

German Officials Approve Country’s First Marijuana Social Club Since Legalization Took Effect​

Germany’s first marijuana social club has officially been approved, just one week after the law allowing such permitting took effect.

Lower Saxony Minister of Agriculture Miriam Staudte announced that her office awarded the permit to Social Club Ganderkesee on Monday. It will allow the cooperative to begin cultivating marijuana for members—the latest development in the implementation of Germany’s legalization law.

Other permits across are expected to follow across the country in the coming weeks, while certain states such as Bavaria have signaled that they will exercise their authority to impose restrictions and make it so permits will not be awarded until fall at earliest.

Staudte, for her part, said this first permit issuance represents a “historic step for consumer protection and controlled cannabis cultivation in Germany,” according to a translation.

It became legal in Germany for adults to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal use in April, but there’s so far been no means of legally obtaining cannabis otherwise.

The social clubs will each be limited to having 500 members and selling up to 50 grams of marijuana per person each month.



The cannabis social clubs “are an important part of the fight against the black market,” Carmen Wegge, a lawmaker with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) said last week, according to a translation. “Even if you don’t have a particularly green thumb, a CSC is certainly a good alternative.”

Meanwhile, advocates and stakeholders are still awaiting the government’s plan for the second pillar of the law that is expected to provide for a broader commercial sales model.

Last month, German lawmakers also approved a series of changes to the country’s marijuana legalization law, imposing restrictions related to impaired driving and giving states more authority to set limits on cannabis cultivation within their borders.

The amendments were the result of an earlier agreement between the federal government and legislators that was made in order to avoid a months-long delay in the implementation of the legalization law.

One of the changes gives states greater flexibility to set restrictions on cultivation at cooperatives that are now able to start dispensing cannabis to members. The regional governments will be able to impose limits on the size of the cooperative’s canopies.

A separate measure that federal lawmakers adopted last month sets a per se THC limit for impaired driving. The legislation—which has proved more controversial given a lack of scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of such policies—makes it so drivers would be considered impaired if they have more than 3.5 ng/ml of THC in their blood. The amendment also bans driving if a person has used both marijuana and alcohol, regardless of the amount.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, who has led the government’s cannabis legalization efforts, told members of the Bundestag in December that “we are currently examining” the commercial sales plan as part of the second pillar. But with legalization in effect, there has been increased pressure to expedite that process.

 

[Baron23]

German Officials Approve Country’s First Marijuana Social Club Since Legalization Took Effect​

Germany’s first marijuana social club has officially been approved, just one week after the law allowing such permitting took effect.

Lower Saxony Minister of Agriculture Miriam Staudte announced that her office awarded the permit to Social Club Ganderkesee on Monday. It will allow the cooperative to begin cultivating marijuana for members—the latest development in the implementation of Germany’s legalization law.

Other permits across are expected to follow across the country in the coming weeks, while certain states such as Bavaria have signaled that they will exercise their authority to impose restrictions and make it so permits will not be awarded until fall at earliest.

Staudte, for her part, said this first permit issuance represents a “historic step for consumer protection and controlled cannabis cultivation in Germany,” according to a translation.

It became legal in Germany for adults to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal use in April, but there’s so far been no means of legally obtaining cannabis otherwise.

The social clubs will each be limited to having 500 members and selling up to 50 grams of marijuana per person each month.



The cannabis social clubs “are an important part of the fight against the black market,” Carmen Wegge, a lawmaker with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) said last week, according to a translation. “Even if you don’t have a particularly green thumb, a CSC is certainly a good alternative.”

Meanwhile, advocates and stakeholders are still awaiting the government’s plan for the second pillar of the law that is expected to provide for a broader commercial sales model.

Last month, German lawmakers also approved a series of changes to the country’s marijuana legalization law, imposing restrictions related to impaired driving and giving states more authority to set limits on cannabis cultivation within their borders.

The amendments were the result of an earlier agreement between the federal government and legislators that was made in order to avoid a months-long delay in the implementation of the legalization law.

One of the changes gives states greater flexibility to set restrictions on cultivation at cooperatives that are now able to start dispensing cannabis to members. The regional governments will be able to impose limits on the size of the cooperative’s canopies.

A separate measure that federal lawmakers adopted last month sets a per se THC limit for impaired driving. The legislation—which has proved more controversial given a lack of scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of such policies—makes it so drivers would be considered impaired if they have more than 3.5 ng/ml of THC in their blood. The amendment also bans driving if a person has used both marijuana and alcohol, regardless of the amount.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, who has led the government’s cannabis legalization efforts, told members of the Bundestag in December that “we are currently examining” the commercial sales plan as part of the second pillar. But with legalization in effect, there has been increased pressure to expedite that process.

LOL...and these are members of the Berlin club! hha

 

[im not a robot]

that first csc that was approved in ganderkesee - that happens to be my home town / village. it is tiny. quite a coincidence. i still visit the region regularly as i have family close by, and i am currently in the process of applying for a spot. not sure i will actually get one (limited to 500), since they were the 1st to get a license they gained lots of attention and interest, as the default atm seems to be rather how difficult it is to get everything in order so it will actually get approved, many difficulties to navigate. but ganderkesee somehow did it :) ganderkesee weirdly also has a carneval (which is quite unusual in the north).