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Bavaria moves to ban cannabis at Oktoberfest and beer gardens

Germany may have legalised cannabis, but anyone hoping to enjoy a joint with their beer at this year's Oktoberfest may be disappointed.

Published: 17 April 2024 09:24 CEST

A sign at the Augustiner-Keller on Arnulfstrasse in Munich refers to the house rules, prohibiting the consumption of cannabis in any form. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Simon Sachseder

The southern state of Bavaria on Tuesday announced that it wants to ban the consumption of cannabis in beer gardens, at public festivals, on restaurant terraces and in some parks.

The state government wants to “limit the public consumption of cannabis despite the federal government’s dangerous legalisation law”, according to a statement.

Clemens Baumgaertner, the head of the Oktoberfest, told the web.de news portal he specifically wants to make the festival a weed-free zone.

“A family festival like the (Oktoberfest) and cannabis consumption don’t go together,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bavaria state premier Markus Söder, of the CSU, tweeted that Bavaria was strengthening the protection of children and young people.

“We will ban smoking weed in beer gardens and at public festivals,” he said. “In addition, local authorities will be able to prohibit smoking and vaping of cannabis products in public areas where large numbers of people regularly congregate, for example at tourist attractions, outdoor swimming pools and amusement parks.”

#Bayern stärkt den Kinder- und Jugendschutz. Wir werden das Kiffen in Biergärten und auf Volksfesten verbieten. Außerdem soll den Kommunen ermöglicht werden, das Rauchen und Dampfen von #Cannabis|produkten in öffentlichen Bereichen zu untersagen, an denen sich regelmäßig viele… pic.twitter.com/Jq0QrVOM5w

— Markus Söder (@Markus_Soeder) April 16, 2024

On April 1st, Germany became the largest EU nation to legalise recreational use of cannabis, despite fierce objections from opposition politicians and medical associations.

Under the first step in the much-debated new law, adults over 18 are now allowed to carry 25 grams of dried cannabis and cultivate up to three marijuana plants at home.

However, cannabis will remain banned for under-18s and within 100 metres of schools, kindergartens and playgrounds.

The changes leave Germany with some of the most liberal cannabis laws in Europe, alongside Malta and Luxembourg, which legalised recreational use in 2021 and 2023 respectively.

But under Germany’s federal system, each state retains a degree of freedom to decide how it will impose the rules.

Bavaria plans to amend the state Health Protection Act to limit how cannabis can be legally consumed.

Politicians also plan a ban on consumption in the Englisher Garten, Hofgarten and Finanzgarten in Munich as well as the Hofgarten in Bayreuth.

The amended law is to be presented before the Whitsun holidays, which begin in mid-May this year. It is not yet clear when the law could be passed by the state parliament.

SPD legal expert in the Bavarian state parliament, Horst Arnold, criticised this approach as “cannabis hysteria”.

With reporting by Rachel Loxton

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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.