Germany: plans to legalize cannabis published «immediately after Easter»

While many doubts remain about the content of cannabis legalization in Germany, and the the latest news was that a light legalization, an official from the German Ministry of Health stated that the bill would be presented by the government «immediately after Easter».

The legislation was originally due to be published at the end of the first quarter of 2023, but this deadline was extended «for scheduling reasons», as officials reportedly worked to revise it to avoid a potential conflict with international laws.

Is total legalization still possible?

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Wednesday that the aim was still to legalize cannabis nationwide, and that he was «firmly convinced that we will present the new proposal immediately after Easter» next week.

Last month, reports emerged that the bill had been revised from the framework previously published by the government, with details indicating that officials were planning to take a lighter, 2-stage approach to reform.

First, it was said that the measure had been amended to allow growers to organize and distribute cannabis in «cannabis clubs», similar to those in Spain.

Secondly, there could be some «cannabis sales» in the form of pilot trials in certain regions of the country, as in Switzerland.

However, the Minister of Health did not confirm this information and said on Wednesday that «legalization is planned throughout Germany», meaning that national commercial legalization could still be possible in the short term.

Lawmakers from the coalition government criticized the decision to scale back the project.

«We need Germany-wide legalization because the black market can only be repelled if quality-guaranteed recreational cannabis can be sold in certified stores throughout Germany,» Kristine Lütke of the FDP told Zeit Online. «If you can only legally buy quality cannabis in a few cities, the black market will survive.

«Even if it is difficult to create a legally secure solution [according to international rules], we must do everything in our power to implement the points agreed in the coalition agreement,» she added.

In initial information, adults aged 18 and over could buy and possess 20 to 30 grams of cannabis in federally-approved stores, and eventually in pharmacies.

They could also grow up to three plants for their own use, subject to the rules on fencing to prevent young people from gaining access.

All current criminal proceedings relating to offences made legal by the reform would be suspended and closed as soon as it was implemented.

Cannabis would be subject to VAT, and the plan calls for an additional «special consumption tax». However, it does not specify the amount of this tax, believing that it should be set at a rate competitive with the illicit market.