Cannabis Clubs In Germany Still Waiting For Red Tape To Be Set In Place

Germany has taken a huge step in cannabis regulation, legalizing cannabis clubs as of July 1, 2024. Each club can have up to 500 members who can grow, share and enjoy cannabis together. Each member can receive up to 25 grams per day and 50 grams per month. But, as with many new policies, challenges abound, as Club enthusiast are still wading through red tape.

Legalizing German Cannabis Clubs

On April 1, 2024, Germany began to allow the legal use of small amounts of cannabis. Adults over 18 can carry 25 grams, grow three plants and store up to 50 grams of dried cannabis at home. Despite these strides, the new cannabis clubs face a maze of regulations.

“The federal states are extremely ill-prepared for this,” Steffen Geyer told DW. Geyer is head of the German Cannabis Social Clubs’ umbrella organization. He expects several hundred clubs to apply for licenses, but the bureaucratic process remains uncertain and undetermined. “There will certainly be a mid three-digit number of clubs applying for a license. How long this will take and how many of them will be successful is still impossible to predict.”

Opposition And Safety Concerns

The German Police Union says it is concerned about potential misuse of the cannabis clubs. “We fear that criminals from the organized crime sector will use the possibility of growing clubs to expand criminal structures,” said Alexander Poitz, deputy head of the police union.

When it comes to the political landscape, the Christian Social Union (CSU) which opposed legalization, has already made a public commitment to role back the regulation should they became the predominant party in government. CSU governs Bavaria, where they are meant to mount the structure that facilitates and controls Cannabis Clubs. They have said they plan to rigorously inspect every cultivation associations, to make it as hard as possible for applicants to get and preserve their licenses.

“In our view, the legalization of cannabis is a major mistake in terms of safety and health policy,” said Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann.

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Ensuring Effective Cannabis Regulations

Geyer argues that clear and transparent regulations can prevent criminal groups from infiltrating the clubs among other specters raised by anti cannabis activists. “We have followed the examples of Canada, the US, Uruguay, Liechtenstein, Malta, the Netherlands, and Spain. We have a lot of regulations designed to prevent a mix of black and white market,” he said.

No surprise, cannabis regulation is highly sensitive to political change. With the far right aiming to win the 2025 elections, it is crucial to implement efficient, clear and realistic regulations. This will help the industry, consolidate the rights of users, prove wrong many the beliefs of anti cannabis advocates thus making it to reverse progress in the future.

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