The law that partially legalizes the use and recreational consumption of cannabis in Germany It came into force today after difficult debates within the political, police and health sectors, which saw hundreds of people take advantage of to gather in Berlin and celebrate – smoking marijuana – the measure, criticized by some doctors and part of the opposition.
About 1,500 Berliners gathered around midnight in front of the Brandenburg Gate along with a meter-high model of a hemp leaf and signs that read slogans such as “caution, stoners” or “we don’t want to be criminals.”
More actions of this type are expected this Easter Monday in other places throughout the country.
“I think that the legalization of cannabis is correct and comes late. In my opinion, it is important to allow the consumption of cannabis, especially when comparing its effects with those of alcohol consumption. I also hope that decriminalization will reduce the desire to consume among young people,” Christian, a native of Hamburg, told EFE.
Restrictions and prohibition of sale
Starting today, those over 18 years of age will be able to grow a maximum of three cannabis plants at home for self-consumption or possess 50 grams of dried flowers in their private space. 25 grams will be allowed in public spaces.
Smoking is prohibited in and within sight of children’s playgrounds, schools, sports facilities, including football stadiums, and facilities for children and young people. Cannabis cannot be consumed between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. in pedestrian areas.
As of July 1, it will be legal to create clubs with up to 500 members who will be able to grow cannabis collectively and non-commercially and exchange it among themselves for private consumption.
Distribution and sale remain prohibited, as does driving a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs.
There is no legal limit for cannabis while driving like there is with alcohol. Given the legal vacuum, a commission of experts proposed a maximum concentration of 3.5 nanograms per milliliter of blood serum for the active ingredient THC.
Anyone who exceeds the grams allowed for personal use faces penalties of up to 30,000 euros or, in the worst case, prison sentences.
Criticism from doctors and the opposition
From the perspective of those who oppose legalization, the cannabis possession limit allowed by law is too high.
The German Medical Association considers that 50 grams per month “corresponds to high-risk consumption and leads to cannabis-related disorders.”
The Ministry of Health argues, however, that legal cannabis must also be available in greater quantities if the illegal black market is to be undermined.
The Minister of Justice, Marco Buschmann, also argues that legalization will alleviate the pressure on Justice and the police in the medium term. There are currently more than 100,000 criminal cases open against cannabis users.
The path to partial cannabis legalization was not easy in the Central European country, where the main opposition party, the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has already said that it will reverse the law if it comes to power.
Modifications in the Upper House
The measure, proposed by the Minister of Health, Karl Lauterbachin April of last year, obtained – in a heavily modified version – on February 23 the approval of the Lower House, with the vote in favor of the Government coalition of social democrats, greens and liberals, as well as the left .
But the measure was about to be derailed in the Upper House, in which the governments of the 16 federated states are represented and where several of them had shown their opposition.
A last-minute commitment by Lauterbach to regularly introduce controls in cannabis clubs and the promise of federal support for prevention measures allowed the measure to go ahead on March 22.
Meanwhile, the Government Commissioner for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Burkhard Blienert, has already asked that a decision now also be made on pilot projects for the cannabis trade.
“It is the only way to guarantee that occasional consumers do not have to resort to camels either,” he believes.
The Government initially also wanted to allow the sale of cannabis in shops with a state licence, but scrapped the idea following concerns expressed by the European Commission. EFE
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