USA Rescheduling may be slower than we are hoping BUT
"at least in Wiesbaden people are optimistic that things can get started soon."
The city of Wiesbaden announced in mid-August that it wanted to conduct a pilot project to research the sale of cannabis in pharmacies. Health Minister Milena Lbcke signed a declaration to this effect. However, there is no law for such pilot projects - or, as has been the plan since spring, the Cannabis Act (CanG) does not appoint a corresponding authority to which the city of Wiesbaden could even apply for such a pilot project. As a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) has now told krautinvest, this is set to change: the "authority responsible for this will be determined by a legal order of the BMEL," he promises - without, however, specifying a date when this will be the case.
Specifically, the answer from the BMEL states: "If there is no medical-scientific purpose within the meaning of the Medical Cannabis Act, the KCanG provides that a permit for the handling of cannabis for scientific purposes can be applied for. The authority responsible for This will be determined by a legal order from the BMEL." The spokesperson explains that the states and associations have already been involved in the draft regulation. "The further procedural steps follow the joint rules of procedure of the federal ministries. The time of the announcement of the regulation cannot currently be predicted exactly."
Interestingly, in parallel – according to the BMEL – a draft bill for the law on the second pillar is to be drawn up under the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) in order to “scientifically design the possibilities of a commercial supply chain “.
This raises the question of why the BMG should still be working on the draft bill while the BMEL is already creating facts. The tone from Wiesbaden is very much in the direction of a "commercial supply chain". The "Cannabis Research Germany" association will soon apply for a nationwide, research-based model project at federal level under the scientific supervision of the Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research Hamburg, according to a corresponding press release . In addition to Wiesbaden, other cities from across Germany and the Rhine-Main region will join in. "At the request of the Health Department, the pharmacies established in the city with a high level of expertise are to be considered as future distribution points for Wiesbaden." Due to the model project character, registration will have to take place and the principle of residence will apply. A term of five years is envisaged. The evaluation is to be carried out by the ZIS Hamburg as the scientific project partner.
Lbke said: "The establishment of a second pillar alongside private cultivation and cultivation associations is essential in order to marginalize the black market and achieve the goals of successful child, youth and health protection. By distributing cannabis through pharmacies, we will ensure that the high pharmaceutical standards also apply to the distribution of cannabis."
The same press release also states: The final participation of the state capital Wiesbaden in the research project will be decided after the application has been approved by the Federal Office of Food and Agriculture, when the latter has established the final framework conditions. The question arises as to what such “final framework conditions” might look like? And whether the “Federal Office of Food and Agriculture” does not mean the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE). A spokesman for the city of Wiesbaden admits that there is currently no “catalog of criteria”. Therefore, “the model project currently being prepared is based on the framework conditions that can be identified from the KCanG. Adjustments may then be necessary at a later date”.
It goes on to say: "Most of the details still have to be determined in the further process and also in coordination with the BLE." With this, the spokesman from Wiesbaden indicates what many are currently assuming: Behind the scenes, it has been agreed that the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food, or BLE for short, should ultimately approve or reject the applications.
And while the BMLE is silent on the exact date when the regulation will make the BLE the responsible authority, at least in Wiesbaden people are optimistic that things can get started soon. "According to our information, an allocation of the relevant responsibilities is being prepared. Our project partners are also in contact with the federal level on this." The question remains as to what the BMG intends to achieve with a supplementary draft bill. They say that a timetable and content details cannot be given at this point in time.
Model project Pilot project
https://krautinvest.de/bmel-bestaetigt-start-der-pilotprojekte-zeitpunkt-offen/?cookie-state-change=1724768252400