Germany's Cannabis Clubs Face Setbacks Amid Reg Hurdles, Christian Democrat Leader Wants To Reverse Marijuana Law

In the first four weeks of the application process, only 43 applications for cannabis cultivation associations have been submitted in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), a state in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, NRW is the most populous state in Germany.

However, nearly all applications are incomplete, writes ASB Zeitung. Upon completing the applications, the authorities have about three months to either approve or deny them.

Previous statements from the Ministry of Health implied the state could permit up to 3,000 cultivation licenses (allowing one cannabis club per 6,000 residents). Then again, the clubs must satisfy numerous requirements. For example, they must be located at least 200 meters from schools and other youth facilities and playgrounds. A club can have a maximum of 500 adults who have lived in Germany for at least six months.

So far, only a fraction of applications have been completed and in some parts of Germany, even fewer have been submitted. In Berlin, only 14 applications have been submitted, as per the new agency DPA, and as reported by CannaBizEu. To make things even more complicated applications cannot be processed if a corresponding regulation is missing.

In Bavaria, people wanting to cultivate cannabis must prove that they are trained in counseling and prevention. Official training by the Center for Prevention and Health Promotion is scheduled for September. Six clubs in Saarland are also waiting for approval due to the lack of training.

When partial cannabis legalization took effect in Germany on April 1, it allowed adults over 18 to possess up to 25 grams of dried cannabis and groe up to three plants at home. One of the biggest breakthroughs under the law is that medical marijuana is essentially regulated like ibuprofen. Cannabis clubs became legal on July 1, 2024, and the first such marijuana social club opened its doors on July 8 in Lower Saxony.

See Also: German Cannabis Producer DEMECAN Becomes First Company ReceivesCultivation License Under Legalization Program, Sees Strong Revenue Growth (Updated)

Christian Democrat Leader Seeks To Reverse Cannabis Law

Four months after marijuana was partially legalized in Germany, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader, Friedrich Merz is blaming weed for increased rates of criminal activity. He’s vowed to reverse the cannabis law if his party wins next year's federal elections, writes CannaBizEu.

"The legalization of cannabis is currently leading to an explosion in drug-related crime and organized criminal activity, including gang wars that we can barely imagine," Merz told Welt am Sonntag.

Speaking of crime rates, Merz says an alleged gang war in involving German and Dutch gangs and about 300 kilograms of missing marijuana. "The Dutch, who have tolerated cannabis consumption for years, are shocked by what is happening in Germany right now," Merz told the German outlet. "Therefore, as in other areas, quick action is required after a government change."

Read Next:

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