Germany to vote on legalising cannabis but under strict regulations

German politicians are to vote on whether to decriminalise limited amounts of marijuana and allow members of so-called “cannabis clubs” to buy it for recreational purposes.

But this does not mean anyone can smoke, use or sell unlimited amounts of marijuana anywhere in Germany - there are strict rules.

The bill will legalise possession of up to 25 grams of marijuana for recreational purposes for over 18s and allow individuals to grow up to three plants on their own.

That part of the legislation would take effect on April 1.

However, people would not be allowed to use cannabis within 200 metres of schools, playgrounds and sports facilities, or near cannabis clubs.

An evaluation of the legislation's effect on protection of children and young people will be carried out within 18 months of the law coming into force.

German residents, who are 18 and older, are to be allowed to join nonprofit “cannabis clubs” with a maximum 500 members each, starting on July 1.

Each person can only join one club, and the costs would be covered by membership fees, which would be staggered according to how much marijuana members use.

The clubs will be allowed to grow cannabis for members’ personal consumption.

Advertising or sponsoring the drug at the clubs will be banned by the government.

The new relaxed policy is to be accompanied by a campaign to warn young people of the risks of consuming the drug.

This is just the first stage of Germany's cannabis plan, the second part would see a five-year trial of regulated commercial supply chains in parts of the county, it was reported in August.

These would then be scientifically evaluated.

The plan falls significantly short of the government's original ambitions, which would have allowed the sale of cannabis to adults across the country at licensed outlets.

The project was scaled back after talks with the European Union’s executive commission.

The vote in the Bundestag, comes months after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Cabinet gave its blessing to the plan, a prominent reform project of the socially liberal governing coalition.

Germany's main conservative opposition party have always been against the more liberal proposals as have some members of Scholz's centre-left Social Democrats.

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