Germany legalize recreational cannabis
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. 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. The Netherlands, known for its permissive attitude to the drug, has in recent years taken a stricter approach to counter cannabis tourism.
Germany cannabis
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach noted in 2023 that the earlier policy on cannabis has not achieved the desired results, as the ban has not restricted use and has provided an opportunity for criminal organizations.
“Our new policy is about the controlled distribution of cannabis to adults within clear limits,”
he said.
As per the government’s plan, adults who are 18 years and above will be authorized to have in their possession up to 25 grams of cannabis. In addition, the cultivation of up to three plants for personal consumption will be permitted. Non-profit groups, with a limit of 500 members, will also be granted permission to grow cannabis and provide it to their members.
Two-step legalization
According to the revised plan, the first step will allow adults to form clubs for community cultivation with up to 500 members. Clubs can provide members up to 50 grams of cannabis per month and no more than 25 grams at once, with those under the age of 21 allowed to get a maximum of 30 grams per month of lower-potency cannabis.
The clubs must also appoint “youth protection, addiction and prevention officers.” Members would be able to cultivate cannabis at home, with a maximum of seven seeds or five cuttings per month allowed to be passed on by clubs. The bill for this step will be ready by the end of April, according to Özdemir.
A separate bill prepared for after the summer will allow a small number of licensed shops in certain German regions to do commercial distribution of cannabis, according to Lauterbach.
“The cannabis project is taking the next step today so that cannabis use will become legal this year,” Özdemir said.
Soon Germany will be added to the countries that you can travel to with CBD:
Where Can You Take CBD Legally?
1. North America
North America, like Europe, has quite loose policies for CBD. In the United States, 47 out of 50 states allow CBD in some form. The only three states where CBD is still illegal are Iowa, Idaho, and South Dakota.
In Canada, as of 2018, it is legal to use CBD for both medical and recreational purposes. Mexico, on the other hand, allows only medical CBD usage. Aside from Jamaica and Costa Rica, where CBD is not legal but is decriminalized, all other North American countries prohibit its usage.
2. Asia
The Asian continent is famous for its countries’ strict policies and laws. Therefore, taking your CBD to Russia, Singapore, or Japan could be a bad idea — penalties range from head-spinning fines to jail time. China, on the other hand, has a booming CBD industry but deems illegal any usage, selling, or buying of CBD in the country.
In fact, there are only a few Asian countries that are CBD-friendly, including
- India – Just like you can buy bhang, a popular form of cannabis in India, you can also purchase CBD oils. They are completely legal and you can bring them with you irrespective of your medical condition.
- South Korea – Although CBD is a common ingredient of topical products in South Korea, you cannot use it for recreational purposes. You can bring CBD to South Korea only if you have medical reasons for that.
- Thailand – You can bring your CBD into the country only if you have a permit from FDA Thailand. The permit allows you a maximum of a 30-day supply of CBD for personal use.
3. Europe
Unlike the countries of Asia, most European countries have looser policies regarding CBD. Countries that allow CBD include:
- The United Kingdom – If your CBD product matches the laws of the UK, you can bring it into the country. CBD products must not contain any THC, and they must be safe for human consumption.
- Germany – As long as the CBD product contains less than 0.2% of THC, you can safely bring it into the country.
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- France – CBD is legal in France only under certain conditions. One of them is that the product contains 0% THC. Any trace of THC and the product will be regarded as a narcotic by the authorities.
- The Netherlands – If your CBD contains less than 0.05% of THC, you can safely bring it to the Netherlands.
