In Germany Cannabis could be legal soon. GERMANY will decriminalise certain sale and consumption rules of cannabis in a significant drug policy change for the ruling coalition government, according to reports.
The political parties known as the “traffic light” coalition are pushing for a change in legislation meaning the sale of cannabis will be legal for consumption purposes, it is suggested. According to German news outlet Der Spiegel, also citing a report by Funke, a representative of the working group tasked with evaluating the policy change said: “We are introducing the controlled distribution of cannabis to adults for recreational purposes in licensed shops.” A survey, carried out by the Institute for Competition Economics (DICE) at the Dusseldorf Heinrich Heine University, found that a legalised cannabis market in Germany could add around 3.4 billion euros in tax revenue to the nation’s economy.
It would also save the judicial system in the country around 1.3 billion euros every year. The survey suggests cannabis legalisation could create around 27,000 jobs – a notable boost for Europe’s largest economy. The new drug policy is being spearheaded by Olaf Scholz, German chancellor-in-waiting, and his centre-left Social Democrats, in negotiations with the Greens and the more libertarian Free Democrats.
The Greens and the Free Democratic Party have long supported a legalised cannabis market regulated by the state. Projections suggest the market for growing cannabis in Europe would provide over 3 billion euros in revenue every year by 2025. This is a climb from the 2021 figures – which put its value at around 400 million euros, according to the European Cannabis Report. Germany does have a track record of legalising cannabis in certain cases. In 2017, the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes was decriminalised.
Proposals for recreational legalisation of cannabis will also include expanded drug checking measures, say Der Spiegel. Germany has a population of 83 million, which would make the country host to one of the world’s largest legal cannabis markets. Last month, Luxembourg became the first country to legalise both growing and using cannabis. Adults in Luxembourg will be allowed to cultivate up to four cannabis plants on their property in a move that could set a European precedent.
Luxembourgian Justice Minister Sam Tanson said of the move: “We thought we had to act, we have an issue with drugs and cannabis is the drug that is most used and is a large part of the illegal market. She added: “We want to start by allowing people to grow it at home. “The idea is that a consumer is not in an illegal situation if he consumes cannabis and that we don’t support the whole illegal chain from production to transportation to selling where there is a lot of misery attached. “We want to do everything we can to get more and more away from the illegal black market.” Quelle: picture alliance, Torsten Sukrow, SULUPRESS.DE, Text www.express.co
