1 month ago
By DAVID McHUGH
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year]
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Marijuana campaigners successful Germany lit celebratory joints connected Monday arsenic nan state liberalized rules connected cannabis to let possession of mini amounts.
The German Cannabis Association, which campaigned for nan caller law, staged a “smoke-in” astatine Berlin’s landmark Brandenburg Gate erstwhile nan rule took effect astatine midnight. Other nationalist depletion events were scheduled passim nan country, including 1 successful beforehand of nan Cologne cathedral and others successful Hamburg, Regensburg and Dortmund.
The caller rule legalizes possession by adults of up to 25 grams (nearly 1 ounce) of marijuana for recreational purposes and allows individuals to turn up to 3 plants connected their own. That portion of nan authorities took effect Monday.
German residents property 18 and older will beryllium allowed to subordinate nonprofit “cannabis clubs” pinch a maximum 500 members each starting July 1. Individuals will beryllium allowed to bargain up to 25 grams per day, aliases a maximum 50 grams per period — a fig constricted to 30 grams for group nether property 21. Membership successful aggregate clubs won’t beryllium allowed.
The clubs’ costs will beryllium covered by rank fees, which are to beryllium staggered according to really overmuch marijuana members use.
The authorities besides calls for an amnesty nether which sentences for cannabis-related offenses that will nary longer beryllium forbidden are to beryllium reviewed and successful galore cases reversed. Regional authorities interest that nan judicial strategy will beryllium overburdened by thousands of cases.
The rule was pushed done by nan existent conjugation of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’ Social Democrats, nan Greens and nan pro-business Free Democrats, against guidance from immoderate of Germany’s national states and nan center-right Christian Democrats. Christian Democratic leader Friedrich Merz has vowed that his statement will reverse nan authorities if it wins nationalist elections expected successful nan autumn of 2025.
Leading plot stores surveyed by nan dpa news agency indicated they would not beryllium adding cannabis plants to their horticultural offerings, and nan German Medical Association opposed nan law, saying it could person “grave consequences” for nan “developmental and life prospects of young group successful our country.”
