Germany's Recreational Cannabis Legalization Plan Is Leaked, Here's What's In It

The German government's cannabis legalization measure was leaked on Wednesday, as first reported by RND.

Under the draft proposal, possession of up to 20 grams of cannabis for those older than 18 will not be punishable, according to Health Minister Karl Lauterbach's (SPD) plan. However, any advertisement promoting marijuana consumption is prohibited.

The proposal will also allow the cultivation of up to ten plants if it's for personal use. In addition, the amount of THC in cannabis products sold to adults over 21 should not exceed 15%. For those aged between 18 and 21, the THC in marijuana products limit is 10%.

"It is important to note that this leaked copy is not the final version, rather unofficial information that should be treated with caution," Niklas Kouparanis, Bloomwell Group CEO, said. "With these reservations in mind, we are pleased that the Federal Government is aiming for a nationwide supply at prices analogous to the illegal market in order to curb illicit operations and thus ensure more protection of minors, and quality control with the health of the consumer in mind."

However, the draft framework thwarts its own goals with specific measures.

Kouparanis added that the next step is making "imported cannabis a reality as soon as possible" as "domestic production alone will hardly be able to meet Germany's demand for adult-use cannabis from day one."

Meanwhile, Kouparanis had earlier said Germany would legalize recreational cannabis by 2024, calling it "the world's largest recreational cannabis market due to the country's population size."

In June 2022, the German government held five hearings to discuss the framework of adult-use cannabis legalization. Representatives from the German government and more than 200 people from medical, legal, and business verticals as well as international experts, participated in these critical discussions.

Photo: Courtesy of Christian Wiediger on Unsplash