Germany legalises cannabis, but makes it hard to buy

Trees@lemmy.world – 49 points – 9 months ago

Germany legalises cannabis, but makes it hard to buy

bbc.co.uk

cross-posted from: https://sopuli.xyz/post/9516859

Germany legalises cannabis, but makes it hard to buy

Original plans to allow licensed shops and pharmacies to sell cannabis have been scrapped over EU concerns that this could lead to a surge in drug exports.

Instead, non-commercial members' clubs, dubbed "cannabis social clubs", will grow and distribute a limited amount of the drug. Each club will have an upper limit of 500 members, consuming cannabis onsite will not be allowed, and membership will only be available to German residents. Growing your own cannabis will also be permitted, with up to three marijuana plants allowed per household. This means that Germany could be in the paradoxical position of allowing possession of rather large amounts of the drug, while at the same time making it difficult to purchase.

Those over 18 can possess 25g and 50g can be held in private residences.

The legalisation is not 100% through yet, though hopes sure are high. I'm gonna paste my comment from another thread:

The suspense is incredible. Some news sources say legalisation is basically certain (and it's about time!) since the health committee has passed the bill on wednesday. It still has to go through the Bundesrat (federal assembly) and that seems to be where expectations don't quite line up. It will be exciting to see where all of this is going.

I'm curious, the article states that the EU was against public sales as it would likely cause greater influx into other EU countries. Is the market in the Netherlands so much smaller that this doesn't exist with them? Or is my US ignorance showing?

First the Netherlands are a much smaller country compared to Germany in both size and inhabitants.
Second the Netherlands only decriminalized possession of weed for personal use, which is different from legalisation. Afaik you can buy weed at the coffee shop without arrest but the shops have to literally buy it from the black market.