Germany Goes Green: Cannabis Legalised, Drug Crime Prisoners Released

Germany’s hardliner covid lockdown boss has succeeded in pushing through his cannabis legalisation pet project in the teeth of opposition from political opponents, doctors, and police.

Cannabis possession became legal in Germany on Monday, the first first of several easings of the law coming that follows years of campaigning by Federal health minister Karl Lauterbach, the left-wing covid lockdown supremo.

Under the change, since midnight Monday individuals are permitted to carry 25 grams (~⅞ ounce) of cannabis for personal use and have 50 grams (~1 ¾ ounces) at home. Individuals are also permitted to own three plants for self-cultivation.

BERLIN, GERMANY – APRIL 1: Cannabis enthusiasts smoke joints legally at the Brandenburg Gate at shortly after midnight on April 1, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. Germany’s new cannabis law goes into effect today, bringing in a new era of legal cannabis consumption. Cannabis social clubs will also be allowed to grow their own marijuana beginning later this year. (Photo by Michele Tantussi/Getty Images)

There are restrictions, though, including for children: under 18s can still be prosecuted for possession. Cannabis ‘clubs’ — cultivation associations with no more than 500 members — facilitating the distribution of the drug will be legalised in July. Smoking cannabis within 100 meters of schools, day-cares, playgrounds, sports fields, and pedestrianised streets during the day is banned, reports German broadsheet newspaper Die Welt.

As noted, in city centres once pedestrians streets and 100-meter exclusion areas around schools and day cares are taken into consideration, there is very little space actually left where cannabis can be smoked in public, but this situation changes towards the suburbs,

The law is being applied retroactively, which means those previously convicted of cannabis possession will have their sentences rules “inadmissible”. A report in February noted a government statement which said: “In concrete terms, this means that all relevant prisoners must be released and the enforcement of fines must be stopped by the deadline of April 1, 2024.”

Naturally, in common with many European and Western countries cannabis possession for small amounts for personal use has been effectively decriminalised for years, and as this change in the law presently only permits cannabis possession for personal use, the number of cases where individuals incarcerated for possession aren’t also serving time and paying fines for other crimes too may be small. Welt noted at the weekend the Hamburg prosecutor office reviewed 3,500 cases where cannabis was a factor, determined it needed to take a closer look at 650 cases, and eventually identified just 55 individuals from that which may be entitled to a sentence waiver or reduction.

BERLIN, GERMANY – APRIL 01: Cannabis enthusiasts smoke joints legally at the Brandenburg Gate at shortly after midnight on April 1, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. Germany’s new cannabis law goes into effect today, bringing in a new era of legal cannabis consumption. Cannabis social clubs will also be allowed to grow their own marijuana beginning later this year.(Photo by Michele Tantussi/Getty Images)

Germany is a Federal country and not all of its member states are equally thrilled by the cannabis decriminalisation push by Lauterbach, with some conservative states having made last-minute pushes to try and delay legalisation day indefinitely. As noted by Euractiv in mid-March, Lauterbach was having a fight to keep his bill out of the nation’s Senate equivalent Bundesrat, where it would likely wallow until after the next election, effectively killing it.

Lauterbach won that battle though, denying the states the oversight they wanted on the federal law. Explaining his hard push, the left wing politician said at the time allowing the states to interfere with his crusade would “lose the unique opportunity to reform the failed cannabis policy”. Lauterbach says he wants to legalise the drug to take on the black market, which can sell an impure product.

As well as states, the law change has also been opposed by some medical associations citing mental health risks, and by police groups. Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s globalist centre-right conservative party the CDU — once led by giant of German politics Angela Merkel — has said should his party return to government they would immediately repeal Lauterbach’s cannabis law.

Cannabis fans met in central Berlin in the early hours of Monday morning to celebrate their addiction being legalised. Among giant novelty spliffs, a huge cannabis leaf, and a man dressed as Jesus Christ tens of dozens smoked and danced to Reggae music.

BERLIN, GERMANY – APRIL 01: Cannabis enthusiasts smoke joints legally at the Brandenburg Gate at shortly after midnight on April 1, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. Germany’s new cannabis law goes into effect today, bringing in a new era of legal cannabis consumption. Cannabis social clubs will also be allowed to grow their own marijuana beginning later this year.(Photo by Michele Tantussi/Getty Images)

01 April 2024, Berlin: A person puffs cannabis smoke on Warschauer Brücke in Berlin-Friedrichshain. From April 1, adults aged 18 and over will be allowed to possess 25 grams of cannabis in public places. In private areas, up to 50 grams of home-grown cannabis will be permitted. Three plants may be grown privately. On July 1, cannabis clubs for joint cultivation will be possible. Photo: Fabian Sommer/dpa (Photo by Fabian Sommer/picture alliance via Getty Images)