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Germany gives green light to partially legalise cannabis from April

Germany's controversial cannabis law has passed the final hurdle in the Bundesrat, paving the way for the drug to be partially legalised in April.

Published: 22 March 2024 12:42 CET

Cannabis is set to be legalised in Germany. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Karl-Josef Hildenbrand

On Friday, the Bundesrat, which represents the German states, approved the law that will allow the possession and cultivation of cannabis among adults in Germany from April.

Despite many points of criticism, there was no majority in favour of sending the law to the mediation committee which would have delayed the legislation.

Finance Minister Christian Lindner tweeted that “Bubatz” – the German slang word for cannabis – will soon be legal.

Soo, Bubatz bald legal. 🥦✅ CL

— Christian Lindner (@c_lindner) March 22, 2024

In order to avert the law failing, however, the government has promised to amend some of the regulations retrospectively.

It promised more support for education and prevention, especially for children and young people, as well as more flexible implementation rules. Some subsequent amendments to the law are now to be implemented before July 1st.

The German parliament (Bundestag) passed the law on February 23rd. The law will now go on to be signed by President Frank Walter-Steinmeier before it comes into force.

What’s in the new law?

The coalition government, made up of the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP), put forward a draft to legalise cannabis last year.

Under the law, cannabis is to be removed from the list of prohibited substances in Germany’s Narcotics Act, and possession and personal cultivation of certain quantities will be permitted for adults starting April 1st. But there are strict rules that will make it difficult to buy the drug.

Possession of up to 25g will be allowed for those over the age of 18 in public spaces, and in private homes the legal upper limit is 50g. Meanwhile, growing up to three cannabis plants will become legal in your own home in Germany.

The law also allows registered non-commercial “cultivation associations” or cannabis clubs for adults, in which up to 500 members who must live in Germany grow cannabis collectively and supply it to each other for personal consumption – with a maximum of 50 grams per member per month.

Smoking weed in public is to be banned in schools, sports facilities and within sight of them – specifically within 100 metres of the entrance as the crow flies.

Meanwhile, within 18 months of the law coming into force, an initial assessment of its impact on the protection of children and young people is to be presented to government officials.

Before the vote, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) campaigned for the law, which he said was an opportunity to protect the younger generation in particular from consumption and the black market through decriminalisation and better education.

Speakers from several federal states, however, warned against legalisation. Bavaria’s health minister Judith Gerlach (CSU) called the law a mistake, and said it would place a massive additional administrative and enforcement burden on the states.

Member comments

Anonymous - 25 March 2024 at 10:07 CET

It is already ridiculous enough that non smokers cannot escape smoke while entering or exiting a public building due to positioning of smoking areas right outside the entrances for the convenience of smokers, now with added allowance for cannabis, it will be hardly possible for any non smoker to be free of cannabis. It almost amounts to forced smoking! Why isn’t the right to breathe smoke-free air cared about? Don’t non smokers have any rights to not breathe cannabis?

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Output is expected to expand 0.3 percent this year, the economy ministry said, up from a prediction of 0.2 percent in February.

The slightly rosier picture comes after improvements in key indicators — from factory output to business activity — boosted hopes a recovery may be getting under way.

The German economy shrank slightly last year, hit by soaring inflation, a manufacturing slowdown and weakness in trading partners, and has acted as a major drag on the 20-nation eurozone.

But releasing its latest projections, the economy ministry said in a statement there were growing indications of a “turning point”.

“Signs of an economic upturn have increased significantly, especially in recent weeks,” Economy Minister Robert Habeck said at a press conference.

The ministry also cut its forecast for inflation this year to 2.4 percent, from a previous prediction of 2.8 percent, and sees the figure falling below two percent next year.

“The fall in inflation will lead to consumer demand — people have more money in their wallets again, and will spend this money,” said Habeck.

“So purchasing power is increasing, real wages are rising and this will contribute to a domestic economic recovery.”

Energy prices — which surged after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine — had also fallen and supply chain woes had eased, he added.

Several months ago there had been expectations of a strong rebound in 2024, with forecasts of growth above one percent, but these were dialled back at the start of the year as the economy continued to languish.

‘Germany has fallen behind’

But improving signs have fuelled hopes the lumbering economy — while not about to break into a sprint — may at least be getting back on its feet.

On Wednesday a closely-watched survey from the Ifo institute showed business sentiment rising for a third consecutive month in April, and more strongly than expected.

A key purchasing managers’ index survey this week showed that business activity in Germany had picked up.

And last week the central bank, the Bundesbank, forecast the economy would expand slightly in the first quarter, dodging a recession, after earlier predicting a contraction.

German Economics Minister Robert Habeck

Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) presents the latest economic forecasts at a press conference in Berlin on Wednesday, April 24th. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Michael Kappeler

Despite the economy’s improving prospects, growth of 0.3 percent is still slower than other developed economies and below past rates, and officials fret it is unlikely to pick up fast in the years ahead.

Habeck has repeatedly stressed solutions are needed for deep-rooted problems facing Germany, from an ageing population to labour shortages and a transition towards greener industries that is moving too slowly.

“Germany has fallen behind other countries in terms of competitiveness,” he said. “We still have a lot to do — we have to roll up our sleeves.”

Already facing turbulence from pandemic-related supply chain woes, the German economy’s problems deepened dramatically when Russia invaded Ukraine and slashed supplies of gas, hitting the country’s crucial manufacturers hard.

While the energy shock has faded, continued weakness in trading partners such as China, widespread strikes in recent months and higher eurozone interest rates have all prolonged the pain.

The European Central Bank has signalled it could start cutting borrowing costs in June, which would boost the eurozone.

But Habeck stressed that care was still needed as, despite the expectations of imminent easing, “tight monetary policy has not yet been lifted.”

In addition, disagreements in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party ruling coalition are hindering efforts to reignite growth, critics say.

This week the pro-business FDP party, a coalition partner, faced an angry backlash from Scholz’s SPD when it presented a 12-point plan for an “economic turnaround”, including deep cuts to state benefits.

Christian Lindner, the fiscally hawkish FDP finance minister, welcomed signs of “stabilisation” in the economic forecasts but stressed that projected medium-term growth was “too low to sustainably finance our state”.

“There are no arguments for postponing the economic turnaround,” he added.