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German lawmakers have officially begun consideration of a bill that would legalize marijuana nationwide. The country\u2019s parliament, called the Bundestag, held the first debate on the legislation on Wednesday after delaying the meeting last week due to the conflict in Israel and Palestine<\/a>.<\/p>\n The legalization measure, spearheaded by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, would allow adults to legally possess cannabis and cultivate a maximum of three plants for personal use<\/a>. It would also create social clubs that could distribute marijuana to members. Officials have said a forthcoming second phase of legalization will eventually launch a pilot program for regulated commercial sales of cannabis.<\/p>\n The country\u2019s prohibition on cannabis has failed, Bundestag member Carmen Wegge, of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), said during the brief 45-minute debate. Illegal cannabis \u201cis often contaminated,\u201d she said, and profits can support organized crime. Meanwhile, youth have access to cannabis on the unregulated market.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an unacceptable situation,\u201d Wegge said. \u201cWith this bill, we are describing a new path, a courageous path, a path that stands on the side of those who consume it. We have decided against state oppression and for a progressive drug policy that educates and grants freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n Gleich debattieren wir das #Cannabis<\/a>-Gesetz im Bundestag! Unsere Cannabis-Expert:innen Dirk Heidenblut und @CarmenWegge<\/a> erkl\u00e4ren Euch, warum wir die Legalisierung brauchen und worauf es uns dabei ankommt. pic.twitter.com\/VSiTLH3JFT<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 SPD-Fraktion im Bundestag (@spdbt) October 18, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Kristine L\u00fctke, a member of the Bundestag in the Free Democratic Party (FDP), acknowledged that the current draft bill is not final but said it includes essential provisions such as the minimum distance that grow facilities could be from public schools and other sensitive areas.<\/p>\n L\u00fctke said she hoped lawmakers could further refine the bill during the legislative process.<\/p>\n \u201cI know the topic is a very emotional one, but I think we can now get back to the factual level,\u201d she said, noting that key points of the proposal were unveiled nearly a year ago \u201cand now the draft for the cannabis law is available.\u201d<\/p>\n A member of the Green Party, Kirsten Kappert-Gonther, said prohibiting marijuana makes it even more dangerous. \u201cThe ban on the black market increases the risk,\u201d she argued, noting that illicit sellers provide no verified information about product ingredients or potency. Legalization would also better prevent access by children due to ID-check requirements, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of a flourishing illegal market, we are now creating legal alternatives for adults to consume,\u201d the Green lawmaker said.<\/p>\n Heute leiten wir den \u00fcberf\u00e4lligen Paradigmenwechsel in der Drogenpolitik ein. \u2013 @KirstenKappert<\/a> zur geplanten Legalisierung von #Cannabis<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/QLbJ7xgjyp<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Gr\u00fcne im Bundestag Opposition political parties in the Bundestag filed two motions ahead of Wednesday\u2019s debate. One, from the Union (CDU\/CSU) urges lawmakers to halt movement toward cannabis legalization, which it said leads the country \u201cthe wrong direction\u201d and will increase cannabis use.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Federal Ministry of Health is working on the law to legalize cannabis and at the same time warns about the dangers of consumption,\u201d it says, according to a translation. \u201cInstead of the planned legalization, there is a need for increased prevention and education about the dangers that can arise from the consumption of cannabis.\u201d<\/p>\n On social media Wednesday, Lauterbach, the health minister hit back at the CDU\/CSU\u2019s opposition. In response to the party\u2019s assertion that \u201cyoung people up to the age of 25 are particularly at risk because their brain development is not yet complete,\u201d Lauterbach noted that cannabis youth by young adults \u201chas been increasing for years\u201d under ongoing criminal prohibition for adults.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the same time, toxic THC concentrations are increasing and there are more additives,\u201d he wrote, suggesting that legal sources of cannabis would be safer for consumers than unregulated ones. \u201cShould we complain about the problem and do nothing?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n Der Konsum \u201ebis zu 25\u201c nimmt seit Jahren zu. Gleichzeitig steigen Drogenkriminalit\u00e4t, toxische THC Konzentrationen und es gibt mehr Beimengungen. Sollen wir auch hier, wie bei anderen Themen, das Problem beklagen und nichts tun? Wenn Cannabis, dann sicher und ohne Dealer https:\/\/t.co\/9xMNHprXPg<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Prof. Karl Lauterbach (@Karl_Lauterbach) October 18, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Another motion<\/a>, from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party says lawmakers should instead focus on medical marijuana, which it says \u201cenjoys a good reputation among the population.\u201d The party argued the Bundestag should give up on adult-use legalization and instead draft a new law to fold medical marijuana into a national health care law, which would better address the \u201cbenefits and risks in an open-ended manner\u201d and could lower costs for patients.<\/p>\n According to posts on social media by Wegge, the legislation will next head to the committee stage for discussion, which is likely to involve even more spirited discussion. The Health Committee, is set<\/a> to consider the proposal on November 6 at which point lawmakers are expected to take testimony on the proposal from experts.<\/p>\n Aber Achtung: zwar diskutieren wir den Entwurf in den Aussch\u00fcssen, verhandelt wird er dort jedoch nicht! Vielmehr gibt es sog. Berichterstatter \u2013 Gespr\u00e4che. Dort sitzen die Ampel Berichterstatter*innen. 4\/10<\/p>\n \u2014 Carmen Wegge (@CarmenWegge) October 17, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Then a second and third (final) reading are scheduled for November 16, according to posts<\/a> last week from L\u00fctke.<\/p>\n The readings are taking place following a failed effort by opponents last month to block the measure in Germany\u2019s legislative body representing individual states, called the Bundesrat.<\/p>\n In a statement posted last week, the Bundestag noted that state representatives are concerned about \u201chigh financial consequences for the states due to control and enforcement as well as prevention and intervention tasks\u201d with \u201ccontrol of cultivation associations is given as an example.\u201d<\/p>\n But the federal government, the statement said, \u201cdoes not share\u201d the Bundesrat\u2019s concerns. In fact, it said, \u201cthe federal government expects high savings from the federal states through fewer criminal complaints and fewer criminal proceedings. The saved funds could be used for monitoring the cultivation associations as well as for addiction prevention.\u201d<\/p>\n As currently written, the legalization proposal would create social clubs that could distribute marijuana to members, with purchase limits for people over the age of 21 of 25 grams of cannabis per day\u2014up to a total of 50 grams per month. People between 18 and 21, meanwhile, would be subject to a lower monthly limit of 30 grams.<\/p>\n Facilities could not be located within 200 meters of a school, and each jurisdiction could have only one club for every 6,000 residents. Clubs would be limited to 500 members and would need a a social club permit, which would be valid for up to seven years with the possibility of receiving an extension. Membership to the clubs would have to last at least two months under the draft bill.<\/p>\n A\u00a0summary<\/a>\u00a0of the legislation also outlines estimates of the costs of implementing and regulating the program, as well as savings from reduced enforcement and new revenue that\u2019s expected to be created through wage taxes from people working at cannabis clubs.<\/p>\n Officials are also planning to introduce a complementary second measure that would establish pilot programs for commercial sales in cities throughout the country. That legislation is expected to be unveiled after its submitted to the European Commission for review.<\/p>\n The measure as previously described by officials would allow cannabis sales at retailers in select jurisdictions as part of the pilot program that would allow the country to assess further reform over five years. Specifically, officials would study the impact of the shops on consumption trends and the illicit market. Localities would need to opt in to allow the stores to operate.<\/p>\n Several medical and law enforcement associations have voiced opposition to the legalization proposal, but Lauterbach, the health minister, has emphasized that\u00a0the reform will be coupled with a \u201cmajor campaign\u201d<\/a>\u00a0to educate the public about the risks of using cannabis.<\/p>\n He first\u00a0shared details about the revised legalization plan in April<\/a>. The next month,\u00a0he distributed the legislative text<\/a>\u00a0to cabinet officials.<\/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 Lawmakers who have\u00a0pushed the government for far-reaching cannabis legalization policies<\/a>\u00a0reacted mostly positively to the government\u2019s April announcement spelling out certain policy proposals, though some did point out areas they\u2019d like to see improved.<\/p>\n The health minister said in March that German officials\u00a0had received \u201cvery good feedback\u201d from the EU<\/a>\u00a0on the prior reform framework.<\/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 the U.S. and toured California 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>\u00a0\u00a0in several key European countries, including Germany.<\/p>\n After Smelling Legal Marijuana In New York, Colombian President Denounces \u2018Enormous Hypocrisy\u2019 Of U.S.-Led Drug War<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n The post German Lawmakers Hold First Debate On Marijuana Legalization Bill<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
German lawmakers have officially begun consideration of a bill that would legalize marijuana nationwide. The country\u2019s parliament, called the Bundestag, held the first debate on the legislation on Wednesday after delaying the meeting last week due to the conflict in Israel and Palestine. The legalization measure, spearheaded by Health MinisterContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":69409,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81,126],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69408"}],"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\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69408"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69408\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69410,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69408\/revisions\/69410"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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Wir machen Schluss mit der gescheiterten Verbotspolitik und stellen endlich den Gesundheits- und Jugendschutz ins Zentrum!<\/p>\n![\"🇪🇺\"](\"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1f1ea-1f1fa.png\")
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(@GrueneBundestag) October 18, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n
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\nRead More: German Lawmakers Hold First Debate On Marijuana Legalization Bill<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"