Germany’s governing coalition believes the current policy of banning the drug has failed, as more and more residents consume cannabis, including many young people. The ruling coalition consists of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), business-focused Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the environmentalist Greens.
The coalition said the new law will facilitate the responsible use of cannabis as it calls for limited legal availability of the drug with numerous rules, regulations and restrictions.
Starting from April 1, adults will be able to grow up to three cannabis plants at home and possess 50 grams there.
In public, adults will be allowed to have up to 25 grams for their consumption.
As of July 1, cannabis clubs will be allowed for joint cultivation with a maximum of 500 members.
The clubs can pass on a maximum of 25 grams per day or 50 grams per month to members, with a lower monthly limit for 18-21-year-olds.
The law aims to push back on the black market, reduce drug-related crime and curb dealing of cut or toxic substances, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has said.
Green Party health expert Janosch Dahmen called this an “overdue paradigm shift” in drug policy.
Dahmen told DPA news agency that education, prevention, and legal protection for children and teenagers are “the guiding principles of the law.”
The safeguards include the banning of cannabis in schools and sports facilities and within sight of them.
Some 18 months after the law comes into force, an assessment is to be made as to its effects on children and young people.
However, the health expert for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Tino Sorge, in opposition, called the law a “historic mistake.”
“The government is bringing cannabis close to children and young people and acting like a state-run drug dealer,” he said.
There has been considerable other criticism of the plans, including from medical associations and the judiciary, due to concerns over health and criminality.
mm/wd (dpa, KNA)
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