{"id":63746,"date":"2023-04-12T04:20:41","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T12:20:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2023\/04\/12\/german-officials-unveil-revised-plan-to-legalize-marijuana\/"},"modified":"2023-04-12T05:45:58","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T13:45:58","slug":"german-officials-unveil-revised-plan-to-legalize-marijuana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2023\/04\/12\/german-officials-unveil-revised-plan-to-legalize-marijuana\/","title":{"rendered":"German Officials Unveil Revised Plan To Legalize Marijuana"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

Top German health officials have unveiled a revised plan to legalize marijuana nationwide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture Cem \u00d6zdemir released the updated legalization framework on Wednesday, sharing details about the proposal during a press conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe previous cannabis policy has failed,\u201d Lauterbach said. \u201cNow we have to go new ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new plan seeks to provide for \u201cthe controlled delivery of cannabis to adults within clear limits,\u201d he said, adding that \u201cwe want to fight the black market [and] we want to push back drug-related crime.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Wir bringen Legalisierung von #Cannabis<\/a> Konsum auf den Weg. Die bisherige Drogenpolitik ist gescheitert. Seit 2011 steigen die Delikte, der Jugendschutz versagt weitgehend. Jetzt soll durch Cannabis Clubs ein legaler Konsum mit besserem Jugendschutz kommen https:\/\/t.co\/1NGyV39fCG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Prof. Karl Lauterbach (@Karl_Lauterbach) April 12, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\u00d6zdemir, for his part, said that \u201cthe use of cannabis is a social reality.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDecades of prohibition policies have turned a blind eye to this and have primarily caused problems,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Wir maximieren den Schutz von Jugendlichen UND erlauben eine kontrollierte Abgabe von #Cannabis<\/a> an Erwachsene, die sch\u00fctzt und nicht bevormundet. Guter Tag f\u00fcr Jugendschutz & Justiz, kein guter Tag f\u00fcr Dealer! @Karl_Lauterbach<\/a> @MarcoBuschmann<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Cem \u00d6zdemir (@cem_oezdemir) April 12, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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The plan<\/a> represents a scaling back of the legalization framework that the government had initially announced last year. While there would be limited sales components, there wouldn\u2019t be a country-wide commercial cannabis market as originally envisioned.<\/p>\n

Instead, the government is looking to allow adults to possess up to 25 grams of marijuana and grow up to three flowering plants for personal use, while permitting nonprofit cannabis \u201cclubs\u201d with a maximum of 500 members where growers could distribute products similar to those in Spain and Malta.<\/p>\n

Adults over 21 years of age would see a purchase limit of 50 grams a month via the clubs, and sales to adults between 18 and 21 would be limited to a total of 30 grams within a month.<\/p>\n

The government\u2019s plan says there would be a limit on THC content, though the specifics are to be clarified later, and there would be a ban on advertising for the associations or for cannabis in general.<\/p>\n

On-site consumption would not be allowed at the clubs, though they could distribute up to seven seeds or five cuttings per month to each member to be used in their own home cultivation.<\/p>\n

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Further, the plan would involve authorizing dispensaries in \u201ccertain districts\/cities in several federal states\u201d throughout Germany that would be licensed for five years, giving officials an opportunity to study the impact of the shops on consumption trends and the illicit market. The localities would need to opt in to allowing the stores to operate.<\/p>\n

The government\u2019s new framework also says that convictions for activity made legal could be \u201cdeleted from the federal central register upon application\u201d and that ongoing cases will be dropped.<\/p>\n

Minors caught with marijuana will need to participate in \u201cmandatory\u201d intervention and prevention programs.<\/p>\n

While the plan says that importing cannabis seeds from other countries to start up grows at the clubs \u201cis being examined,\u201d it also says that\u00a0\u201cthere is a ban on the import or export of recreational cannabis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Germany will seek sign-off on that sales aspect of the bill from the European Union (EU). The possession and home grow language would not be subject to the body\u2019s review.<\/p>\n

The government said that it is \u201ccontinuing its efforts (particularly through the missions abroad) to promote its approaches to its European partners\u201d and is also examining how EU member states can press to make relevant international laws \u201cmore flexible and developed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Formal legislation detailing the government\u2019s previously announced framework was initially set to be released by the end of the first quarter of 2023, but that timeline was extended \u201cdue to scheduling reasons\u201d as officials worked to revise it in order to avoid a potential conflict with international laws.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, the ministers suggested<\/a> a formal bill to carry out the social clubs part of the newly scaled back framework could come later this month, with legalization going into effect sometime \u201cthis year.\u201d The draft law for the regional commercial sales pilot programs would come at a later, unspecified date.<\/p>\n

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BM @Karl_Lauterbach<\/a> und BM @cem_oezdemir<\/a> stellen heute die n\u00e4chsten Schritte zu #Cannabis<\/a>-Gesetzespl\u00e4nen vor.
“Nun schaffen wir stimmige & pragmatische Cannabis-Politik mit Perspektive. Privater Anbau, Besitz & Konsum werden legal,” sagt \u00d6zdemir zur Einigung der Bundesregierung. pic.twitter.com\/jrNiKi9y4v<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 BMEL (@bmel) April 12, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Under the earlier framework that the government had released with the coalition\u2019s backing last year, adults 18 and older could have purchased and possessed 20-30 grams of marijuana at federally licensed stores and possibly pharmacies.<\/p>\n

They could have also grown up to three plants for personal use, with rules on enclosing them to prevent youth access.<\/p>\n

All ongoing criminal proceedings related to offenses made legal under the reform would have been suspended and closed upon implementation.<\/p>\n

Marijuana would have been subject to the country\u2019s sales tax, and the plan called for an additional \u201cspecial consumption tax.\u201d However, it didn\u2019t specify that number, instead arguing that it should be set at a rate that\u2019s competitive with the illicit market.<\/p>\n

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#Cannabis<\/a> | “Wir wollen ein ungel\u00f6stes Problem helfen zu l\u00f6sen”, so #Gesundheitsminister<\/a> @karl_lauterbach<\/a>. Probleme des #CannabisKonsums<\/a> sind #BeschaffungsKriminalit\u00e4t<\/a> und toxische Beimengungen. Au\u00dferdem will er dem #Schwarzmarkt<\/a> die Grundlage entziehen. #Jugendschutz<\/a> @bmg_bund<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/77DHTld7Aq<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 phoenix (@phoenix_de) April 12, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Lawmakers who have pushed the government for far-reaching cannabis legalization policies<\/a> reacted mostly positively to Wednesday\u2019s announcement, though some did point out areas they\u2019d like to see improved.<\/p>\n

Kristine L\u00fctke of the FDP, for example, said the framework \u201cis a great first step\u201d but that it is \u201ctoo restrictive\u201d with respect to THC limits and edibles, and that there should be more widespread allowance of commercial sales throughout the country.<\/p>\n

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Das Eckpunktepapier ist ein gro\u00dfer erster Schritt in Richtung #Legalisierung<\/a> von #Cannabis<\/a>. Allerdings ist das Konzept zu restriktiv im Hinblick auf:
1⃣ #THC<\/a>-Obergrenzen
2⃣ #Edibles<\/a>
3⃣ Wenige Modellregionen
Wir als @fdpbt<\/a> arbeiten weiter an der Legalisierung wie im KoaV!<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kristine L\u00fctke MdB (@kristine_lutke) April 12, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Kirsten Kappert-Gonther of the Green Party also decried the lack of \u201ca clear commitment to edibles,\u201d noting that they \u201ccontribute to harm reduction compared to inhalation.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Ziel bleibt die umfassende Legalisierung mit dem fl\u00e4chendeckenden Verkauf von Cannabis in lizensierten Fachgesch\u00e4ften.
Ein Jammer, dass nach vorherrschender juristischer Meinung derzeit daf\u00fcr auf EU-Ebene noch keine Mehrheit besteht. 4\/6<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kirsten Kappert-Gonther (@KirstenKappert) April 12, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Lauterbach said last month that German officials\u00a0had received \u201cvery good feedback\u201d from the EU<\/a>\u00a0on the prior reform framework and would be making revisions to the plan before formally introducing a bill in the legislature.<\/p>\n

Germany\u2019s Federal Cabinet approved the initial framework for a legalization measure late last year, but the government\u00a0wanted to get sign-off from the EU<\/a>\u00a0to ensure that enacting the reform wouldn\u2019t put them in violation of their international obligations.<\/p>\n

The framework was the product of months of review and negotiations within the German administration and the country\u2019s \u201ctraffic light\u201d coalition government. Officials\u00a0took a first step toward legalization last summer<\/a>, kicking off a series of hearings meant to help inform legislation to end prohibition in the country.<\/p>\n

A group of German lawmakers, as well as Narcotics Drugs Commissioner Burkhard Blienert,\u00a0visited California and toured cannabis businesses<\/a>\u00a0last year to inform their country\u2019s approach to legalization.<\/p>\n

The visit came about two months after top officials from Germany, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands\u00a0held a first-of-its-kind meeting to discuss plans and challenges<\/a>\u00a0associated with recreational marijuana legalization.<\/p>\n

Leaders of the coalition government said in 2021 that they had\u00a0reached an agreement to end cannabis prohibition<\/a>\u00a0and enact regulations for a legal industry, and they first\u00a0previewed certain details of that plan<\/a>\u00a0last year.<\/p>\n

A novel international survey that was released last year\u00a0found majority support for legalization<\/a>\u00a0in several key European countries, including Germany.<\/p>\n

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Texas House Approves Bill To Allow Medical Marijuana As Opioid Alternative And Replace THC Limit<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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The post German Officials Unveil Revised Plan To Legalize Marijuana<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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Top German health officials have unveiled a revised plan to legalize marijuana nationwide. German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture Cem \u00d6zdemir released the updated legalization framework on Wednesday, sharing details about the proposal during a press conference. \u201cThe previous cannabis policy has failed,\u201d LauterbachContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63746"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63746"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63746\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63747,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63746\/revisions\/63747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}