Berlin likely to «semi-legalize» cannabis

Almost unnoticed because of the american elections on november 8, But the news is important.

Berlin's three mayoral parties - the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Left Party - have agreed to «scientifically monitor a pilot project for the controlled distribution of cannabis to adults».

It's certainly not full legalization, but German campaigners believe the initiative is a major step towards decriminalizing cannabis. In the past," explains Max Plenert of the association German Hemp, In Germany, some districts have tried to legalize cannabis, but have come up against the Federal Intoxicants Act, which bans cannabis. Plenert believes that the whole city, which is also one of Germany's 16 federal states, has a better chance of success.

«The legal code is decided at a federal level, and this is a local attempt to try and do things differently» a confided Plenert to Deutsche Welle. «The Intoxicants Act provides for such experiments. You can apply for exceptions, although the Ministry of Health has influence over the final decision. The state of Berlin has broader possibilities than a city district in terms of setting up pilot projects. We can prepare a more powerful appeal for an exception to the law».

Local campaigners argue that they're just trying to bring the law back into line with reality, particularly in Berlin, a city where it's easy to buy cannabis, for example in Görlitzer Park, and where small-scale dealing is rarely punished.

«It's a pilot project with limitations,» says Plenert. «It's a trial to get the discussion going about how things could be different. It won't have a massive effect on the drug market. But like the other drug pilot projects, it's a chance to show politicians and the press that the subject isn't such a big problem. And that it could trigger bigger changes.»

German law does not allow states to legislate against Federal Intoxication Law. But Plenert believes that the US example could lead to a change in Germany.

«We've made enough progress in Germany to recognize that the status quo doesn't really work,» he says. «If the federal states want to experiment with something different, let them try.».

Details are not yet known, but we'll be sure to keep you posted 😉