On April 1, 2024, the German parliament approved the liberalization of consumption from that same day, and then the cultivation and marketing of cannabis from July 1. Currently in Germany it is possible to possess up to 25 grams of cannabis per day without risking fines or prison sentences.

Germany thus becomes the third country - and the largest in Europe - to legalize the recreational use of cannabis, along with Luxembourg and Malta, which legalized consumption recreational in 2021 and 2023, respectively.

Germany has long been known as one of the most conservative countries in Europe, but that perception could be changing, as has become the largest EU country to legalize recreational cannabis, despite fierce opposition from some politicians and medical associations.

What does this legislative change mean for cannabis consumption in Germany?

The German government hopes that legalization will help contain the growing black market for the substance. From July 1, 2024, German citizens can obtain cannabis through so-called 'cannabis clubs'.

The number of cannabis consumers in Germany is estimated to be around 4.5 million people.

The German regulatory model has largely followed the model of shared consumption clubs that was created in Spain and more specifically in Catalonia. Thus, each regulated association can have up to 500 members, who can purchase up to 50 grams of cannabis per month.

Germans also have the right to grow up to 3 cannabis plants at home for private consumption.

Shared cannabis clubs

These clubs, a kind of shared cannabis gardens, can grow the drug on an outdoor plot, in a greenhouse or in an uninhabited building. They are checked at least once a year by the authorities and each association can welcome, for a membership fee, a maximum of 500 people who have resided in Germany for at least 6 months.

According to the Government, the new legislation, fervently desired by environmentalists and liberals in the coalition of Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz, should make it possible to fight more effectively against illegal drug trafficking.

The German health authorities consider that the prohibition policy has failed, and remember that countries like Canada, which have By applying legalization, they have managed to reduce the black market.

Despite this, some health groups have expressed concern that legalization could lead to an increase in consumption among young people, the government has promised a broad information campaign to raise awareness of the possible drawbacks and has also highlighted that cannabis will continue to be prohibited for those under 18 years of ageand more than 100 meters from schools, daycare centers and playgrounds.

Police and judges criticize the law

The law has also attracted criticism from the police, who have openly expressed their fear of increasing conflicts with citizens under the influence of cannabis. They worry that it will be difficult to enforce, suggesting that Germany is unlikely to become a hot spot for 'weed tourism' anytime soon.

Also for its part, the Federation of German Judges (DRB) complains about the increased workload: due to the amnesties derived from the law on previous cannabis-related crimes, more than 200,000 cases have to be re-examined , which prevents criminal justice from "devoting itself to other tasks for weeks and months", noted Sven Rebehn, of the DRB.

Poor things, all of them police officers and judges, who have been taken out of their repressive comfort zone. Let them relax a little, be professional and enforce the law rigorously, according to the commandment of the German people, which emanates from this law of the Bundestag, and if they get a little stressed, let them smoke a joint and they will see how well it goes for them. 😊