Luxembourg to vote on cannabis legalization by the end of June

As provided for in the 2018–2023 coalition agreement, the Legalization of cannabis in Luxembourg «will be debated and voted on in a public session during the week of June 26,» the Chamber of Deputies now states on its website.

Initially, the Grand Duchy plans to allow adult residents to grow up to four plants at home, starting from seeds. The plants must not be visible from public areas. Consumption must also take place at home, under penalty of a fine of up to 250 euros, and possession of cannabis in public must not exceed 3 grams.

The next phase will focus on establishing a state-controlled cannabis production and sales chain. To this end, a pilot project will be launched to regulate cannabis sales in Luxembourg, which will be restricted to residents over the age of 18, with a maximum purchase limit of 5 grams of cannabis per day in all future stores and 30 grams per month. Certain products, such as pre-rolled joints, will not be permitted for sale in order to promote vaporization use.

Two production licenses are currently planned. They will supply 14 retail outlets that have yet to be established. The sale of cannabis in public places will remain prohibited, and consumption venues such as coffee shops will not be permitted.

Penalties will be imposed on individuals who fail to comply with the rules, such as crossing the Luxembourg border with cannabis—regardless of the country of origin—possessing more than 5 grams in public, or selling or giving cannabis to minors or non-residents of Luxembourg.

The study will be monitored by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and various public health research institutions in the country to verify whether the program «improves public health protection at the national level, particularly through quality control of products consumed by a very broad public, and whether the new prevention strategies can limit drug use, curb the revenue streams and growth of organized crime, free up capacity and resources for supply reduction and the fight against organized crime, and reduce users» contact with criminal circles—which is currently unavoidable. ”

Luxembourg has implemented a website including all the details of the legalization proposal.