Germany became the biggest EU country to legalize recreational cannabis on Monday, amid strong resistance from opposition lawmakers and medical associations.
Adults over the age of 18 can now carry 25 grams of dried cannabis and grow up to three marijuana plants at home, under the first step in the much-discussed new law.
The amendments left Germany with some of Europe’s most liberal cannabis regulations, along with Malta and Luxembourg, which legalized recreational use in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
The Netherlands, known for its lenient stance toward the drug, has recently adopted a stronger approach to combating cannabis tourism.
As the law went into force at midnight, hundreds of people rejoiced by Berlin’s landmark Brandenburg Gate, many of them lighting up joints in what one participant, a very pleased 25-year-old Niyazi, described as “a bit of extra freedom”.
As part of the next phase of legal reform, beginning July 1, it will be permitted to buy marijuana through “cannabis clubs” in the country.
These controlled associations will be permitted to have up to 500 members each and dispense up to 50 grams of cannabis per person each month.
Until then, Georg Wurth, director of the German Cannabis Association, told AFP that “consumers must not tell the police where they bought their cannabis” during a street check.
Health organizations have expressed concern that legalization will lead to a rise in use among young people
Initial plans to sell cannabis through regulated stores were scrapped due to EU resistance, but a second law is in the works to trial the drug in shops in pilot zones.
The German government, a three-party coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats, claims that legalization will assist in controlling the expanding criminal market for the popular substance.
However, health organizations have expressed concern that legalization will lead to a rise in use among young people, who suffer the greatest health risks.
Experts warn that cannabis usage among young people can disrupt the development of the central nervous system, increasing the chance of developing psychosis and schizophrenia.
“From our point of view, the law as it is written is a disaster,” Katja Seidel, a therapist at a cannabis addiction center for young people in Berlin, told AFP.
Even Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, a doctor, has stated that cannabis use might be “dangerous,” particularly for young people.
The government has vowed a broad communication effort to raise awareness of the risks and expand support programs.
It has also highlighted that cannabis will remain banned for under-18s and within 100 meters of schools, kindergartens, and playgrounds.’
Police have criticized the measure for its potential difficulty in enforcement
“From April 1, our colleagues will find themselves in situations of conflict with citizens, as uncertainty reigns on both sides,” said Alexander Poitz, vice president of the GdP police union.
Another potential difficulty is that the bill may grant amnesty for cannabis-related offenses retroactively, causing the legal system to suffer administratively.
According to the German Judges’ Association, the pardon could apply to over 200,000 cases that would need to be reviewed and processed.
Conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz has stated that if he and his party form a government after the 2025 national elections, he will “immediately” repeal the law.
However, Finance Minister Christian Lindner of the liberal FDP stated that legalization was a “responsible” decision that was preferable to “directing people to the black market”.
The new law “will not lead to chaos”, Lindner told public broadcaster ARD.