German Cabinet to approve plans to liberalise cannabis possession and sale

Germany’s cabinet is set to approve a plan to liberalise the country's rules on cannabis.

The new plan could see adults allowed to possess upto 25 grams of the drug, and grow a maximum of three plants for personal use.

The move will set the scene for the European Union’s most populous member to decriminalise possession of limited amounts and allow members of “cannabis clubs” to buy the substance for recreational purposes. Officials hope legalisation will help push back the black market, protect consumers against contaminated products, and reduce drug-related crime.

The government’s approval, expected on Wednesday, is billed as the first step in a two-part plan and will still need approval by parliament.

However, it is still a step forward for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s socially liberal coalition, although significantly short of the government’s original ambitions.

The original plans foresaw allowing the sale of cannabis to adults across the country at licensed outlets, howeverm this was scaled back following talks with the EU’s executive commission.

Health minister Karl Lauterbach is to give details of the finalised legislation on Wednesday.

German residents who are 18 and older would be allowed to join non-profit “cannabis clubs” with a maximum 500 members each. The clubs would be allowed to grow cannabis for members’ personal consumption.

Individuals would be allowed to buy up to 25 grams per day, or up to 50 grams per month – a figure limited to 30 grams for under-21s.

Multiple clubs memberships would not be allowed. The clubs’ costs would be covered by membership fees, which would be staggered according to how much cannabis members use.

“We are not creating a problem,” Mr Lauterbach said earlier this year. “We are trying to solve a problem.”

However, the centre-right opposition disagrees, arguing that the government is pressing ahead with legalising a risky drug despite European legal obstacles and expert opinion.

An organisation representing German judges says the plan is likely to increase rather than decrease the burden on the judicial system and could even increase demand for black-market cannabis.

Some advocates of legalisation are not happy either.

Oliver Waack-Jurgensen, who heads the Berlin-based High Ground “cannabis social club” founded last year, said: “What we’re getting from the health minister is overregulation, a continued stigmatisation of cannabis users and a much too tight regulatory corset, which simply makes it impossible for many, many (cannabis clubs) to work.”

The government has said it plans to follow the new legislation by mapping out a second step – five-year tests of regulated commercial supply chains in select regions, which would then be scientifically evaluated.

Mr Lauterbach has said Germany does not want to emulate the model of the neighbouring Netherlands, which combines decriminalisation with little market regulation. He has said Germany hopes to set an example for Europe.