The recent German elections resulted in gains for pro-cannabis parties. This could lead to recreational cannabis legalization in Germany within the next few years. A new coalition government including pro-cannabis parties may pursue cannabis reforms and trials of high-THC cannabis. If legalized, it could influence other European countries to reconsider their strict cannabis laws. Germany currently has a large medical cannabis program that will continue operating.

1. 10/5/21, 7:58 AM How Will The Upcoming German Elections Impact Recreational Cannabis Legalization in Germany?
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GERMAN ELECTIONS AND RECREATIONAL CANNABIS
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2. 10/5/21, 7:58 AM How Will The Upcoming German Elections Impact Recreational Cannabis Legalization in Germany?
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How Will The Upcoming German Elections
Impact Recreational Cannabis Legalization
in Germany?
With pro-cannabis parties gaining ground in Germany, recreational cannabis could be in the future.
Posted by:
Chiara C, today at 12:00am
How Will the German Elections Impact the Recreational
Cannabis Market?
Germans, cannabis advocates, and international observers are very curious to know what the just concluded elections
mean for the current cannabis reform trend in the European nation.

3. 10/5/21, 7:58 AM How Will The Upcoming German Elections Impact Recreational Cannabis Legalization in Germany?
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Analysts have put forward their projections on what they think could happen next. The common buzz in these
projections is that everyone believes the status quo is about to change.
Cannabis Legislation in Germany
Germany has a cannabis measure that permits the use of medical cannabis (https://cannabis.net/blog/news/germany-
loves-medical-marijuana-but-they-have-one-big-problem). The measure was legalized in 1998, and in 2017, the law was
modified to include other medical conditions as well as establish a provision for domestic production, export, and
import of medical cannabis.
Over one hundred thousand patients are registered under the German medical cannabis program
(https://cannabis.net/blog/news/germanys-medical-marijuana-program-is-booming-despite-the-massive-legal-obstacles-
suppliers-and), as disclosed by the federal institute for drugs and medical devices.
Despite being the fourth largest market in the world for cannabis oil exports, Germany has no adult-use legislation.
All countries in Europe, except Georgia, do not permit the use, possession, cultivation, and sale of adult-use cannabis. It
is illegal!
Simple possession of cannabis in Germany attracts a five-year penalty sentence and the German Federal Narcotics Act
regulates everything that pertains to cannabis in the country. First-time offenders caught with less than 6 grams are
given lighter punishments.
This has not deterred the growth of the medical industry, the country imported over 9,000 kg of medical cannabis last
year (https://cannabis.net/blog/news/un-drug-treaties-be-damned-germany-imports-jamaican-cannabis-for-its-medical-
marijuana-market). With the establishment of a domestic supply market, more cannabis will be imported into the
region.
Changes, Changes, Changes
The results of the German national election are in and the observed upset in the electoral map shows that the new
government will be an unusual one.

4. 10/5/21, 7:58 AM How Will The Upcoming German Elections Impact Recreational Cannabis Legalization in Germany?
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Cannabis advocates in Germany and Europe may witness new dawn in the industry, as the winning parties in the new
government are pro-cannabis reforms. Patients and adults of legal age may finally be getting a recreational market and
a federal law that permits the use, possession, and sales of adult-use cannabis.
This change has been a long time coming, the refusal of the previous government to enact adult-use reforms may have
been rooted in inarguable points, however, I cannot but commend them for the top-quality medical cannabis industry
they put in place and maintained. The only issue in the industry remains the burdensome insurance requirements.
There had been quite a several high-profile thefts in the country before the elections that pointed that changes were
coming. One of such is the popular raid of one of the top grocery retailers in Germany in August, and it was none other
than the police force that did this raid.
Before the elections, the cannabis business community filed a petition to declassify CBD under the German Narcotics
Act. The lawsuit, which is now pending, was a measure to cajole the previous government into making better cannabis
reforms that are in line with the European Union level. In 2020, the union decided that cannabinoid was wrongly
classified as a narcotics.
Luckily for everyone in the German cannabis industry, they can now look forward to changing beyond the mere
declassification of CBD.
What To Expect
In the next few weeks, pundits expect a union between the Social Democratic Party, the Greens, and the Free
Democratic Party. The creation of a coalition government by these parties will usher in a new dispensation in Germany.
The new government will most likely include cannabis reforms among its important agenda within the next eight years
and cannabis trials to test high-THC cannabis will also be carried out.
Even if only two of these strong pro-cannabis reform parties form a union, recreational cannabis will still be on the
table.
It is still too premature to state whether or not they would be able to pull this off.

5. 10/5/21, 7:58 AM How Will The Upcoming German Elections Impact Recreational Cannabis Legalization in Germany?
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Christian Lindner, an FDM party member whose election slogan— wie est ist, darf es nicht bleiben (translated in English
as things cannot stay the way they are) has reportedly announced that cannabis legislation will be the uniting point in
the new government.
If this comes to be, a new and massive market will be opening up for Germans and neighboring countries. It will
possibly lead to the legislation of recreational cannabis. Germany
What this means for Europe
The resignation of Angela Markel, as well as the defeat of the Christain Democratic Union (CDU), is one of the notable
events in Europe in recent times. Europe's stance against recreational cannabis may change if the new coalition is
successful in legitimizing the use of adult weed.

6. 10/5/21, 7:58 AM How Will The Upcoming German Elections Impact Recreational Cannabis Legalization in Germany?
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Germany has a strong grip on politics in European countries, with Germans defecting to a new party to show how tired
they were about the old norm, it won't be long before other European citizens defect to new parties.
Cannabis regulations in Europe are cumbersome and tiring, the jail penalty for offenders has dissuaded many
Europeans in the political class. With the rise of a new German government, it is clear that the EU will be heading (slowly
or not) to progressive cannabis reform that decriminalizes the use of the drug for all.
The intended Swiss trial for recreational cannabis which is scheduled to be held in Germany will do more to persuade
the lawmakers to enact any kind of cannabis reform, provided that it goes well with the general public.
More countries will be leaving the EU cannabis vacuum within the next few years. Holland is already making plans to
begin a national market within the continent. On the other hand, Luxemburg may be relaxing its strict cannabis policies
in a few months. These examples will lay a path for other European nations to kickstart the proposed plans they might
have for their cannabis industry.
Bottom Line
Regardless of whatever happens within the next eight years, it is safe to say Germany will have a new kind of cannabis
policy before the new coalition ends its term. Other European nations may also follow suit.
In the meantime the country's solid medical cannabis program will continue as it is; producing, distributing, importing,
and exporting medical cannabis!—till the new reforms are ready.
GERMANY MOVES TOWARD LEGALIZATION, READ MORE...

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(https://cannabis.net/blog/opinion/no-everyone-doesnt-love-weed-germany-
and-new-zealand-vote-no-on-recreational-cannabis-measures)
GERMANY AND NEW ZEALAND VOTE NO TO RECREATIONAL WEED. (https://cannabis.net/blog/opinion/no-
everyone-doesnt-love-weed-germany-and-new-zealand-vote-no-on-recreational-cannabis-measures)
OR...
(https://cannabis.net/blog/news/germany-loves-medical-marijuana-but-
they-have-one-big-problem)
GERMANY LOVES MEDICAL MARIJUANA BUT HAS ONE BIG PROBLEM! (https://cannabis.net/blog/news/germany-
loves-medical-marijuana-but-they-have-one-big-problem)

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