In the discussion about cannabis legalization, BKA President Holger Münch campaigned for a possible downgrading of cannabis offenses to administrative offences. “Personally, I believe that the Portuguese model is one that should be looked at very closely,” said the head of the Federal Criminal Police Office in an interview in the “Social Live” format of the ARD “Tagesschau”. Lowering the criminal prosecution and saying that consumption and possession will only be prosecuted as an administrative offense is an important part of a possible concept.
Possession and use of small amounts of drugs were decriminalized in Portugal in 2001. Since then, both the possession and the consumption of cannabis have been an administrative offence, but there are no longer any criminal prosecutions for amounts up to 25 grams. Since 2018, the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes has been legal in the country, but companies need a permit from the Ministry of Agriculture in Lisbon.
Legalization for the time being only in the private sector
According to a media report, cannabis is to be legalized in Germany initially for private cultivation and use and in special associations. On the other hand, there will probably not be a free sale in licensed shops for the time being. According to information from the editorial network Germany (RND), the revised plans of Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) for the planned cannabis legalization. Lauterbach wants to present this on Wednesday together with his cabinet colleague, Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens), in Berlin.
As the RND further reported, it is planned to allow the possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis and the cultivation of three plants for personal consumption in the future. In addition, so-called Cannabis Social Clubs should be possible – associations that provide their members with cannabis products from their own cultivation.
There was no official confirmation on Tuesday. When asked, however, coalition circles said the information was “largely correct”. The SPD leadership had also stated in a board resolution at the end of March: “For us, so-called Cannabis Social Clubs (CSC) are a central component of legalization”. According to dpa information, they should be allowed to give a maximum of 25 grams at a time and a maximum of 50 grams per month to club members. Non-members cannot get cannabis.
