DAS GOOT The second pillar of the planned legalization involves launching a five-year pilot program at the regional level. The aim is to establish a regional and time-limited model that can be used as a reference for other European countries and the EU Commission. This program will allow for a scientific examination of the effects of commercial supply chains on health, youth protection, and the illegal market.
The program will test commercial supply chains in several districts and cities across different federal states. This will cover the production, distribution, and sale of cannabis in specialized shops. The project will be subject to scientific monitoring, limited to five years, and restricted to the residents of the communities involved.
The German federal government has justified its legalization plans with the aim of curbing the illegal market, thereby enabling better control over the quality of cannabis products and protecting public health and youth.
However, several critical points still require clarification when the bill is introduced. These include the announced limit on THC content and the regulations regarding cannabis social clubs.
The ministers have indicated that a bill to implement the proposed plan would be introduced later this month, with the legalization going into effect at some point this year. However, the draft law for the regional commercial sales pilot programs has an unspecified release date and will come at a later time.
By taking this step, Germany is poised to become the second EU member to legalize cannabis for personal use, following in the footsteps of Malta, which did so in late 2021.
It seems that other EU countries considering legalizing cannabis could potentially overcome the legal obstacles posed by EU regulations by adopting the cannabis social club models already established in Spain and soon to be implemented in Malta. Additionally, they could allow domestic cultivation for personal use, as the sale of cannabis products is currently prohibited under international and European legal frameworks.
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