Parliament's final vote on the legalization of cannabis in Germany will take place in December

Edit: An earlier version of this article mentioned a vote on November 16, as originally scheduled. The parliamentary vote has been postponed until December due to the need to further revise certain sections of the text. The article has been updated accordingly.

As the parliamentary committee hearings continue, the text on the legalization of cannabis in Germany is expected to return to the plenary session for a second and third reading on November 16, at which time lawmakers will vote on the formal adoption of the bill. The Federal Council will then make its decision in February.

The measure has is undergoing its first reading in the Bundestag, the German federal parliament, last month.

What does the legalization of cannabis in Germany entail?

The legalization measure, presented by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, would allow the Germans adults to legally possess cannabis and grow up to three plants for personal use. It would also allow for the creation of Cannabis Clubs that could grow and distribute cannabis to their members, with purchase limits for people over the age of 21 set at 25 grams of cannabis per day—up to a total of 50 grams per month. Individuals aged 18 to 21, meanwhile, would be subject to a lower monthly limit of 30 grams.

The German authorities call for a second phase of legalization which would launch a pilot program for the regulated commercial sale of cannabis. Therefore, initially, there will be no retail sales as currently exist in the United States, Uruguay, Thailand, or Canada.

«With this federal government bill, we can help improve public health, strengthen education and prevention efforts related to cannabis, and curb the illegal cannabis market while enhancing the protection of children and young people,» explained Kirsten Kappert-Gonther, a member of the Green Party, during a committee meeting last week.

«The federal government asserts that current trends show that cannabis use, despite existing prohibition laws, is on the rise, particularly among young people,» said Ms. Kappert-Gonther. «Cannabis purchased on the black market is often associated with higher health risks because the THC content is unknown to users, and it contains toxic impurities and synthetic cannabinoids that can be very dangerous and whose effects are not understood by those who consume them.» ”

Is there widespread support for the legalization of cannabis in Germany?

The legalization of cannabis in Germany is being championed and supported by the government and a majority of the political spectrum.

However, a number of organizations have spoken out against the legalization of cannabis in Germany, including the Federal Medical Association, the German Judges' Association, and police and medical organizations. They are among the three dozen institutions and individuals who submitted statements ahead of last Monday's hearing.

The German Judges Association, for example, stated in a written submission that «the assessment underlying the bill—that it would significantly reduce the burden on the judicial system—is incorrect,» since the legalization proposal still criminalizes the sale of cannabis, international importation, and other activities.»

The German Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine argued that while the proposed reform would not allow minors to access cannabis, it was not clear whether the protective measures would be sufficiently effective to prevent young people from accessing it.

The Federal Chamber of Psychotherapists, for its part, also expressed skepticism. The group called for strict protective measures for young people and stated that it was unclear whether decriminalization would do enough to combat stigma so that people with substance use disorders would seek help sooner.

Another motion, introduced by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, states that lawmakers should instead focus on medical cannabis, which, according to him, «enjoys a good reputation among the public.» The party argues that the Bundestag should abandon the legalization of adult use and instead draft a new law to incorporate medical cannabis into a national healthcare law, which would allow for better consideration of «the benefits and risks without restriction » and reduce costs for patients.