The Beginning of the End of Cannabis Prohibition in Germany
On April 1st, Germany finally enacted its new cannabis law CanG (“Cannabisgesetz”). It entails:
– legalization of possession of up to 25 grams in public spaces for personal use is permitted, and possession of up to 50 grams of dry flowers is legal
– a maximum of three female plants may be cultivated privately, the possession of 60 grams of dry flowers or more is punishable.
– as of July 1st, non-commercially operated Cannabis Social Clubs (CSC) may grow THC-containing cannabis plants and supply limited quantities (25 grams/day and a total of 50 grams/month) to a maximum of 500 club members per club – with a maximum THC content of 10%; however, only 30 grams/month may be supplied to young adults up to the age of 21.
– these clubs aren’t really “social”, though, because members won’t be allowed to have a room for consumption. These clubs cannot advertise for themselves and must appoint a prevention officer and submit a youth protection concept
– edibles are still prohibited
In a second phase, regional pilot projects will be set up for the state-controlled cannabis shops that can sell to adults. There is no timeline for phase 2 yet.
The new regulation is certainly far from being perfect, but it is a huge step away from the destructive prohibition of the last decades which has negatively impacted millions of lives.
Cannabis activists will now have to fight for an improvement of the law in the next years, and they will have to make sure that the new regulations turn out to be successful, despite the difficulties they may bring. For instance, it is hard to see how “social” clubs can be set up operate successfully under the strict conditions specified in CanG.
One of the key factors will be the implementation of various educational measures to teach interested adults as well as medical cannabis users how to use cannabis mindfully and responsibly. For this purpose, I have published the minimalist guidebook “The Art of the High. Your Guide to Using Cannabis for an Outstanding Life“, also available in German (“Die Kunst des Highs. Wie wir mit Cannabis unser Bewusstsein bereichern können“).
It teaches both beginners and well-advanced users how to use cannabis mindfully to experience various mind enhancements, such as a better focus of attention, enhanced pattern recognition, imagination, introspection, and empathic understanding, to name just a few examples.
In Europe and other parts 0f the world, many regulators will take a close look at how CanG plays out. I hope we can make this a success, but it will heavily depend on efforts from those who know how to deal with the substance, the risks, and its potential.
