Germany Set to Legalize Cannabis, as Incoming Coalition Reaches Agreement
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A legal, regulated recreational cannabis market could be on the horizon in Germany.
The three parties expected to form the country’s next government have reportedly agreed to the drug policy, which would be reviewed four years after implementation.
According to the newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD), its Green party, and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) plan to legalize the sale of cannabis to adults in licensed shops.
The policy, according to the parties, would help control the quality of cannabis, reduce the risk of contaminated products, and guarantee the protection of minors. After four years, the law and its social impact will then be reevaluated.
According to Der Spiegel, the coalition’s plan also includes restrictions on cannabis advertising to help deter youth use.
Currently, Germany has a legal medical cannabis market and recreational use of the drug is decriminalized. In 2019, it was estimated that the country had around 60,000 medical cannabis patients.
In the same year, a report from the data and intelligence firm Prohibition Partners projected that, if Germany legalized adult-use cannabis, the recreational market could be worth €8.5 billion ($9.39 billion USD) by 2028.
