The German parliament has backed a new law to allow the recreational use of cannabis.
Under the law, over-18s in Germany will be allowed to possess substantial amounts of cannabis, but strict rules will make it difficult to buy the drug.
Smoking cannabis in many public spaces will become legal from 1 April.
Possession of up to 25g, equivalent to dozens of strong joints, is to be allowed in public spaces. In private homes the legal limit will be 50g.
Already police in some parts of Germany, such as Berlin, often turn a blind eye to smoking in public, although possession of the drug for recreational use is illegal and can be prosecuted. Use of the drug among young people has been soaring for years despite the existing law, says Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, who is instigating the reforms.
I’m all for legalization and partake on a monthly basis or so, but I’m kind of down for keeping it more difficult to obtain. Four or five dispensaries per mid-size city should be plenty as long as competition still exists. I work at a school and access to cannabis has become a rising issue. Outside of school, the greater availability has led to “burnouts” being more common.
I think parallels can be drawn to the opioid epidemic and alcohol. Where availability is high, reliance and addiction rises. There’s no reason to flood low-income neighborhoods with convenience stores where half or more of the inventory is alcohol.
Sigh . No. Access to cannabis hasn’t led to more burnouts.
I’m speaking from a position of direct evidence. It’s caused issues in my region. More children are being caught with THC than before legalization and the proliferation of dispensaries in my state. And its not even close. We’ve called the ambulance to the school this year once already for a 7th grader getting too high and having a panic attack from their THC laced vape pen. Academic ineligiblity lists have increased year over year for a decade as well. There’s other factors at play too like their family’s finances, social media, covid, etc. but well over half of the list I know have been caught getting high in and out of school.
And again, I want to reiterate. I support legalization and also use marijuana. But its proven that marijuana use before the brain is fully developed can disrupt proper development. And that can be as late as 25 years old though I support a legal age of 21.
You’re speaking from anecdotal evidence at best.
Okay man. Keep plugging your ears and yelling until you can’t ignore valid concerns and questions about weed anymore.
So, I live in Canada, I haven’t seen more burnouts or other issues that were said to be associated with weed. Quite the opposite anecdotally speaking.
Neither have the states who legalised or Uruguay for that matter.
I don’t know what data you actually have, but it doesn’t seem sound.
Care to share your source? (not asking for your dealer, I have a good one myself)
Again, with many things, Germany is ahead of the curve.
The ingredients laws for beer should be translated directly into aerosolizer laws (nic, vg, pg, heavily vetted and approved flavors), and the controls on marijuana sales seem to be going the same way. Good on them.
On the other hand, there are places, where it’s so easy to get weed and other drugs even today and delivered directly to your doorstep. In those places it may be easier to stick with your dealer for procurement and enjoy the benefit of decriminalization of possession and consumption than going through the hassle of joining a cannabis club. This in turn would negate some.of the discussed benefits of legalization.