this post was submitted on 22 Mar 2024
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423
Germany legalises possession of cannabis for personal use (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
24 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

After long discussion and frequent delays, the legalisation is finally here to stay.

top 24 comments
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[–] [email protected] 54 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Personal Comment on the matter and living through it all in Germany

This whole thing was a long ass nightmare...

A lot of conservative politicians and our far-right parties wantes this to be canned and instead asked for a more restrictive policy.

The CSU (Bavarias special version of the CDU) already founded a dedicated new ministery for "extremly restrictive interpretation of the new laws". Thats how bad the f***ing right-wingers are about this progreasive approach! Im to tired to search for the source on that right now, if someone else could to that, I would greatly appreciate it.

Its still hard to believe. Even now it feels very surreal that, within a few days, the technically still existent damocles-sword of illegallity will be gone. This whole law was passed around, rewritten, ammended and changed so often, many thought it would never even pass within our lifetimes, if at all.

Even today, there was so much interest and tension in this thing, the streaming-server broadcasting the vote just cracked under the storm of viewers wanting to see how this would go down.

Thanks to all the people who tirelessly pushed for this. Your work made this happen and you deserve all the praise in the world for it. I hope we can archive more things like this in the comming future.

Usually we Germans are very hesitant to be proud of our country, for very obvious hystorical reasons. But I feel we can make an exception for this one.

Because Im proud of my country for once! Good job!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (4 children)

Have to admit, I haven't followed the subject since I don't smoke weed. Tried it a few times, thousands of years ago when I was younger and it was not my thing.

In Germany driving while under the influence is an almost instant MPU. Will they relax the law now, or do it like with alcohol, you need to be over a certain value to have your licensed revoked? No disrespect against people that smoke weed but I don't want to share a road with people stoned out of their minds.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago

While you're right that people shouldn't drive while being stoned, you also shouldn't fear it too much since cannabis has a far less impact on your driving skills compared to alcohol. Most likely stoners will just drive slower and be hyperfocused on the road.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago

The limits will be revised.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

I just read about it "am Rande" so take it with a grain of salt. Afaik, there is a legal limit for the blood traces, which is too low because the majority of people will not pass even several days after smoking. Said limit is therefore unrealistic and overly restrictive, they're currently trying to figure out a number that makes more sense and still ensures that cannabis users are not a danger to themselves or anyone. Blood alcohol restrictions are a known quantity and have been for decades, but THC not so much so far.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

They make oral swabs to check if people have smoked within the last few hours or so, although I don't think that works for edibles. Urine or hair test will always be unreliable for this use case because it shows up in those if you've used in the least few months to years. But anyway my point was that there are ways to test for intoxication similar to DUI breathalyzer.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

I'm not sure we will ever see that in France, despite all the neighbouring countries and our huge consumer base... Good for you !

[–] [email protected] 51 points 7 months ago (4 children)

From the article:

About 7 million Germans are estimated to regularly use cannabis. The government has said previously that many users rely on the drug for medicinal reasons and that the new law will also improve the quality of cannabis consumed by growing numbers of young people.

Imagine the U.S. government giving a shit about people like this.

Also, it's not just personal use-

Adults will be permitted to grow up to three plants and possess small amounts of cannabis from 1 April, and three months later it will also be available in licensed not-for-profit clubs established to grow and distribute the cannabis plant.

So not only will you be able to get it, the people who get it to you can't be big corporate shitheels.

I recently found out that I most likely qualify for German citizenship thanks to Germany's own bureaucratic legal system. It's sounding more tempting every day.

I wish I liked the sound of the German language more though.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

So not only will you be able to get it, the people who get it to you can’t be big corporate shitheels.

Cannabis Social Clubs have existed in Europe for a while under a legal gray area, e.g. in Spain. I imagine that's why Germany went with a non-profit cooperative model instead of the US' (recent) for-profit corporate approach. Although Canada's approach of a state monopoly is similar to what Norway does with alcohol, which is another way to socialize the profits of drugs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_Social_Club

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

I imagine that’s why Germany went with a non-profit cooperative model instead of the US’ (recent) for-profit corporate approach.

We originally tried the usual approach (or at least a combination of both), but because of EU laws, it wasn't possible to do a law which gives stores permission to sell them, so this was the best thing one could still get.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I wish I liked the sound of the German language more though.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago

I wish I liked the sound of the German language more though.

German can be smooth as well. The following starts with the hard german sounds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzyb8OF3Blc&t=30

Something more rough (subs are garbage):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYg9omPYx_M&t=41

And just some other genre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGoUm02Dc1o&t=62

Luv2USA

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

And as a German, I like The Netherlands and are a bit tempted to move to them. Guess you always see the better in another country.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I really hope the German legalisation will be a success. I'm not personally a user, but I'm tired of gangs being financed by cannabis being illegal, and violence escalating over control of an illegal market.
I am so tired of hearing of police idiocy, that cannabis is widespread in criminal environments. That's simply the most incredibly stupid thing that deserves a kick in the balls for pushing such idiocy, when cannabis being illegal is the reason those environments are considered criminal in the first place!
This whole shitshow was always just the result of right wing propaganda anyways, particularly that Cannabis was popular among emigrants and the peace movement, made it a prime target for Nixon to criminalize, which basically criminalized 2 big groups that were extremely hated by the right.
This tendency was then exported to most of the world, where USA in secret threatened trade restrictions if we didn't outlaw cannabis.
Why it remained so popular despite being illegal IDK? But it seems to me the lesser harm is to legalize it, in a controlled manner. Which is exactly what Germany and other countries are doing, even USA that may have been a major reason for it being illegal almost world wide.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

There will still be a lucrative black market for weed since this law doesn’t really allow for commercial sale, which is quite unfortunate. Cant have that weed cutting in on the beer mafia profits :)

It does allow for “cannabis clubs” that can supply up to 500 members (whose names will be put on a list). So that’s nice. But it’s definitely not going to be enough.

At least it’s a step forward. And really great that individuals can’t be arrested/fined for consuming a plant with their own body.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

(whose names will be put on a list

That's not going to cause problems at all

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Heheh. No problems at all…

But yeah, despite being an alleged champion of privacy, Germany kind of misses the point with much of their implementation (of any privacy-related legislation).

[–] [email protected] 13 points 7 months ago

As a Belgian, it stings to see it get legalized pretty much all around us, while knowing it will never happen here. At least not with the current administration in charge, and 2024's elections don't look to bring any difference.

I wish my compatriots weren't so goddamn retarded. They've been voting against their own best interests for well over a decade now. Thank god we never had a Brexit proposal, I'm sure they would've run hogwild with it.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago

First actual good news I've read this morning.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Congrats on shrinking the drugs black market Germany, hopefully more to follow. A few years after legalization in Michigan and so far the major outcomes are millions in additional state taxes, more small business dispensaries and grow ops, and the downside for some, more frequently smelling weed in public places.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago

The German legislation focuses on private growing, there will not be any shops where you can just go and buy weed. There are no taxes to earn (yet).

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

Nice to see some good news and sensible legislation.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

with a shit tonne of stipulations