Tag: Germany

First cannabis club distribution in Germany

Posted on by Milutin

From a Weser Kurier news

Since July, German cannabis cultivation clubs have been permitted to grow cannabis together and distribute it. For the first time, a cultivation association in Ganderkesee has distributed legally grown cannabis to its members. This club claims to be the first club in Germany to harvest a legal cannabis crop.Michael Jaskulewicz was the first member of the Cannabis Social Club Ganderkesee to receive a few grams of various types of the drug. “Being here and picking this up was an absolutely amazing feeling,” he said.

According to a spokeswoman for the Federal Drug Commissioner, no other association is known to have started harvesting earlier. However, she pointed out that the authority has no official information on the harvest situation of the individual cultivation associations. It is known that the association in Ganderkesee is very far advanced.

“Our members come from the middle of society,” said association chairman Daniel Keune. The age range is from 18 to 70 years, from employees to entrepreneurs.

The association has been working on the issue of legalizing cannabis consumption in Germany for two years. Partial legalization enables preventive health protection because the association guarantees that the cannabis distributed is safe and without additives. “This health protection that we can provide has motivated us.”

 

Partial legalisation of cannabis approved in Germany

Posted on by Milutin

Germany’s upper house, the Bundesrat (The Federal Council), cleared the way to partially legalise cannabis on Friday 22 March.

Implementation of the law, supported by the government and passed in the Bundestag, could have been delayed by Bundesrat, which is made up of delegates from Germany’s 16 state governments.

Some representatives in the chamber argued about negative consequences of the law, and a motion on Friday to send the law to a mediation committee threatened to delay the enforcement of the law. However, the motion did not receive enough votes, clearing the way for cannabis to become legal on 1 April 2024.

 

In brief, the legalisation includes:

Legal possession and consumption of limited quantities

The law provides for the partial legalization of cannabis. It allows the possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis, and up to 50 grams of cannabis within your own four walls. Growing three cannabis plants in your own home will also become legal, although the cannabis harvested is only intended for personal use and may not be passed on.

The ban still applies to minors

Possession and consumption of cannabis remain prohibited for minors. Adults are also not allowed to consume cannabis in their presence. There is also a ban on consumption within sight of schools and daycare centers as well as in pedestrian zones before 8 p.m.

Growing associations instead of legal buying and selling

The purchase and sale of cannabis also remains prohibited. However, if you don’t want to grow plants yourself, you can do so in growing associations. These are organized as registered non-economic associations or cooperatives and may not have more than 500 members. Minors are prohibited from membership. Adults may only be members of one cultivation association and must actively participate in cultivation. The law does not provide for passive membership that is aimed solely at purchasing cannabis.

Come into effect

After the law has passed the Federal Council, most parts of the law can come into force on April 1, 2024 after it has been drawn up and promulgated.

 

Heated discussion about cannabis regulation

Posted on by Milutin

DPNSEE Executive Director Milutin Milošević participated in a TV debate about decision of the German parliament to lealise cannabis. Besides clarifying different aspects of that decision and informing about other modalities injurisdictions around the world, Milutin had to insist of some clear information about cannabis regulation and legal mechanisms for potential discussion and taking similar decision in Serbia.

The video from the debate (in Serboan) is available following the link bellow.

 

Germany legalised cannabis

Posted on by Milutin

The German parliament’s lower house has adopted a new law to allow the recreational use of cannabis. 407 parliamentarians voted in favor of the new regulation, 226 voted against and four lawmakers abstained.

Possession of up to 25g and smoking will be allowed in public spaces from 1 April 2024. In private homes the legal limit will be 50g. Smoking cannabis in some areas, such as near schools and sports grounds, will still be illegal.

From 1 July, non-commercial members’ clubs, dubbed “cannabis social clubs”, will grow and distribute a limited amount of the drug. Each club will have an upper limit of 500 members, and membership will only be available to German residents. Growing your own cannabis will also be permitted, with up to three marijuana plants allowed per household.

Germany is the third country in Europe – after Malta and Luxembourg – to legalize the drug for recreational use, removing cannabis from the official list of banned substances.

 

Germany plans a cannabis legalization bill by the second half of the year

Posted on by Milutin

As part of a large project on improvement of the national health system, the German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach announced that it would start the legal process for cannabis legalization.

The process for the planned cannabis release is to start with several technical discussions between the Federal Drug Commissioner Burkhard Blienert and national and international experts. A draft law is to follow in the second half of the year, explained the minister. The traffic light coalition wants to introduce a “controlled sale of cannabis to adults for recreational purposes in licensed shops,” as stated in the coalition agreement.

“I’ve changed my mind on that over the past two years,” Lauterbach said. “I’ve always been opposed to cannabis legalization, but I revised my position about a year ago.” He now believes the dangers of non-legalization are greater.

 

Countries increase their support to the Global Fund

Posted on by Milutin

During the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a pledge of €1 billion for the upcoming three-year period, representing a 17.6% increase.

Germany is the fourth-largest donor to the Global Fund. Germany’s investments have helped the Global Fund partnership save more than 27 million lives and reduce deaths from AIDS, TB and malaria by one-third. As a leading voice in global health and development, Germany has advocated the need for international cooperation around global health security, health systems strengthening and antimicrobial resistance. It strongly endorses the need to reduce inequalities in accessing health care, overcoming human rights and gender barriers.

The Global Fund welcomed the government of Italy’s announcement that it will contribute €161 million to the Global Fund over the next three years, as also announced in Biarritz by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. This pledge – representing a 15% increase from Italy’s previous contribution – is a clear demonstration of the country’s commitment to end the epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

Italy has been a strong supporter of the Global Fund since it was established in 2002. Italy hosted the first meeting of donors to replenish the Global Fund’s resources in Rome in 2005. It has also played a key role in shaping Global Fund’s policies, including advancing human rights, building stronger systems of health and investing in challenging operating environments.

The Swiss Federal Council approved a contribution of CHF64 million to the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment. This is the highest contribution ever granted by Switzerland to the Global Fund.

Switzerland shares a seat with Canada and Australia on the Global Fund Board. With this representation, Switzerland plays a key role in initiating and shaping discussions on issues such as embedding the fight against the three diseases in the broader universal health coverage agenda, strengthening Country Coordinating Mechanisms, and promoting the role of civil society and the provision of health services to vulnerable and marginalized populations.

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France will host the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment pledging conference in Lyon 9 – 10 October 2019. The Global Fund seeks to raise at least US$14 billion for the next three years to help save 16 million lives, cut the mortality rate from HIV, TB and malaria in half, and build stronger health systems by 2023.

The Global Fund Replenishment Conference aims to further mobilize efforts to end the epidemics of three of the world’s most devastating diseases by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.