57% of Germans in favor of legalizing cannabis

When it comes to cannabis in Europe, attitudes are changing more quickly in some countries than in others. The most recent polls show growing acceptance of adult cannabis use in Germany, but also in Switzerland and, despite the government's complete abandonment of the issue, in France where 52% of the population believes that state-regulated cannabis sales would be «more effective than a ban in combating trafficking.».

But let's get back to Germany. The latest poll conducted by the Mafo Institute for the German edition of Playboy  notes that 57.5% of the German population believes that the purchase and use of cannabis should be legal for adults. 90.5% of respondents also believe that current public drug policies do not prevent people from buying or using cannabis.

Less than one-third of respondents had ever smoked cannabis. «Hard drugs» are also largely unacceptable in German society, with 92.9% of those surveyed opposing legal access to any hard drugs.

A Rapid Shift in Attitudes in Germany

From 2001 to 2010, support among the German public for the legalization of cannabis did not did not exceed 19%. At that time, the U.S. was already at 40% in terms of support.

At the end of 2014, 30% from the Germans believed that cannabis should be sold by qualified staff in specialty stores to people 18 and older.

Visit July 2015, 37% of Germans were in favor of legalizing cannabis, according to a study by May 2015 which put the number of people in favor of legalization at 39%.

So, two years later, the number of people in favor of legalization has exceeded 50%. The international context is likely one reason for this. It could also be driven by other German-speaking countries.

Switzerland does, in fact, allow the cultivation and purchase of cannabis containing less than 1% of THC. In fact, two-thirds of the population is reportedly in favor of treating cannabis the same way as tobacco.

As for Austria, it authorizes the sale and cultivation of clones and cannabis seeds, provided that the plants are not allowed to flower. Consumption is permitted, as is possession, as long as there is no resale (passing around a joint may be considered distribution). However, the country is not in favor of ending the prohibition on cannabis: 46% are reportedly in favor of some form of decriminalization for recreational cannabis use.