Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

DRUGS

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
Someone holds part of a cannabis plant
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. 

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. 

READ ALSO: German parliament votes to legalise cannabis

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

  1. 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?

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

CRIME

Why are German politicians facing increasing attacks?

A series of attacks on politicians in recent weeks show that politics in Germany has become extremely polarised. With tensions running high ahead of EU elections, The Local takes a look at recent violent incidents, and why they are increasing.

Published: 10 May 2024 13:55 CEST
Why are German politicians facing increasing attacks?

Police in Stuttgart said two state lawmakers received minor injuries after being attacked Wednesday evening at an event for the 75th anniversary of Germany’s constitution.

The two politicians were members of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, and two women, 19 and 23, are under investigation for the incident.

This is just the latest in a spate of attacks suffered by politicians from various parties across Germany in recent weeks.

Among the more severe was an attack on Matthias Eck, a member of the Social Democrats (SPD) party, who was hanging up election posters around Dresden on May 3rd when four people accosted him. According to ZDF, eyewitnesses heard one of the attackers yell “f*cking Greens” before they began punching and kicking him. Ecke later required an operation in the hospital.

Just before the attack on Ecke, a Greens campaigner had been attacked on the same street. Based on matching descriptions of the perpetrators and spatial proximity of the crimes, police assume it was the same attackers in both cases.

READ ALSO: Teenager turns self in after attack on German politician

Another notably violent attack was carried out in a Berlin library against the capital city’s senator for economic affairs and former mayor, Franziska Giffey (SDP). Police said that the attacker had come “from behind with a bag filled with hard contents and hit her on the head and neck”. A 74 year old man was suspected of carrying out the attack and he was later arrested.

A number of other attacks and threats against Green party and AfD politicians were reported within the week. Green party members Kai Gehring and Rolf Fliß were attacked in Essen after a party event.

Demonstrators in Brandenburg harassed Green politician Katrin Göring-Eckardt while she was in her car and prevented her from leaving. 

In Nordhorn, Lower Saxony, a man threw an egg at an AfD state parliament member and hit him in the face. 

A troublesome trend of violent responses to politics

Politically motivated extremist attacks are not new to Germany, but the increase in the number of attacks recently is cause for concern, especially for local political leaders.

Following the attack she experienced, Giffey posted on Instagram saying that she was fine, but added that she was “worried and shaken by the increasingly wild culture” observed in German politics.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Franziska Giffey (@franziskagiffey)

Chancellor Olaf Scholz had responded to the attack on Matthias Ecke, calling the attack a threat to democracy.

A number of similar attacks and threats were also recorded in 2023, including an attack on Andreas Jurca (AfD) in Augsburg, and the blockade of a ferry with Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck on board.

According to preliminary figures released by the federal government, recorded crimes against politicians have risen since 2019 for all parties – from 2,267 in 2019 to 2,790 in 2023.

In 2019, AfD representatives were most often the targets of attacks, whereas in 2023 it was predominately the Greens.

These numbers also include cases of property damage and threats or insults.

anti-extremism demo in Dresden

Participants at a rally against extremism in response to the attack on Matthias Ecke in Dresden. A man holds a sign reading “Stop hate preachers”. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sebastian Kahnert

What’s causing an increase in extremism in Germany?

Dr. Stefan Marschall, professor of political science at the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, says there has been an increase in polarisation in politics in Germany.

Marschall told The Local that this polarisation means more and more often “people who think differently are perceived as enemies”. He added that, as opposed to the US where people are largely split between two more or less equally strong camps, in Germany radical groups take aim at their counterparts on the other side of the political spectrum and also at the more moderate majority.

“Vilifying political elites is part of the core strategy of right-wing populist parties,” Marschall said.

But understanding the issues contributing to political extremism and fixing them are two different things. Furthermore, Marschall notes that citizens’ attitudes and beliefs can be changed only to a limited extent by institutions.

That said, the political scientist suggests that communication is key for mitigating these radical acts: “Overall, there needs to be greater awareness that polarised and divisive language benefits populist parties in particular”.

Social media shares some responsibility here too, as communication and information sharing platforms have made it easier to mobilise protest as well as violence.

READ ALSO: A fight for the youth vote – Are German politicians social media savvy enough?

Can the tension be expected to ease after the EU elections?

Asked if the number of attacks might decrease following the EU elections in June, Marschall pointed out that elections always bring a higher rate of attacks on political figures: “Election campaigns are always heated times in which such incidents are more likely because politicians literally take to the streets.”

But there have also been a number of incidents observed outside of election cycles.

“We are now realising that democracy is vulnerable, after democracy has long been taken for granted,” Marschall said. “That is why people are now rightly talking and thinking about how to protect democracy institutionally and how to set an example for democratic culture. Ultimately, this strengthens democratic resilience.”

On Sunday thousands of protestors rallied in Dresden to stand against right-wing extremism following the attacks on Matthias Ecke. In Berlin too, around 1,000 people gathered in front of Brandenburg Gate.

But considering the number of political attacks already seen in 2024, for now it looks like political extremism can be expected to get worse before it gets better.

SHOW COMMENTS