Tilray Brands - German Cannabis Legalization Update Traffic light agrees on cannabis law
As of: November 27, 2023 1:54 p.m
The coalition factions have agreed on the final version of the law on the legalization of cannabis.
The law should be less strict than previously planned.
The parliamentary groups of the traffic light coalition have finally reached an agreement on the law to legalize cannabis. “We are putting an end to the harmful prohibition of cannabis,” said the acting chairwoman of the Health Committee in the Bundestag, Kirsten Kappert-Gonther (Greens). She described the planned law as a “paradigm change that many people have campaigned for for decades.”According to the resolution, the law will be less strict than previously planned.
The parliamentary groups therefore agreed, among other things, to reduce consumption bans near schools and similar facilities to a distance of 100 meters. 200 meters were previously planned.Legal possession amount for home cultivation is doubledThe rules for home cultivation have also been relaxed: in the future, possession of up to 50 grams will be permitted here - instead of 25 grams.
The criminal liability should only apply from 60 grams in private areas and from 30 grams in public areas. Below this, possession is considered an administrative offense .In addition, according to Kappert-Gonther, criminal regulations and fines should be reduced to “appropriate levels”. Fines should be reduced from a maximum of 100,000 to a maximum of 30,000 euros. Experts from the Federal Ministry of Transport should propose a THC limit for road traffic by the end of March. THC is the active ingredient in the cannabis plant that is primarily responsible for the intoxicating effect.
Still forbidden for minors“During the negotiations, we managed to find practical regulations that guarantee the protection of young people and health and make the decriminalization of adult consumers a reality,” said Kappert-Gonther. The possession and consumption of cannabis will remain prohibited for young people under the age of 18.The government coalition's original plan to offer cannabis for sale in licensed shops will not initially be implemented.Projects from coalition agreement Cannabis legalization is a project from the coalition agreement of the traffic light coalition. The associated draft law has been discussed for some time. A final approval in the Bundestag is still pending.The law is due to come into force next year. This was originally planned for the turn of the year. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) recently confirmed that this could no longer be achieved. The plan is now to come into force in the spring.