"Big announcement. We all hoped for more, but it’s still a big step." What the German Cannabis law change will mean for patients
Here the IACM Patient Council German representative Gero Kohlhaas shares his thoughts.???
Predictions for Patients:
2. An important change is that patients without a doctor's prescription or who don’t have the cost covered by their statutory health insurance, will be able to buy or grow three plants legally. While three flowering plants still seems low, depending on patients' individual growing skills, it could be sufficient.
3. Looking to the future, it could be that doctors who do not want to prescribe cannabis, will suggest patients grow for themselves or go somewhere to buy their medicine. While these patients will be able to self-medicate, the downside is that they will not be supervised by a doctor. The number of patients medicating without being under the care of a doctor is already sizable, and it will only increase in the future.
4. Cannabis will hopefully lose its forbidden status in future and patients will become destigmatised.?
5. Hopefully this will end the criminalisation of patients. If possession of 25g and homegrown harvests of three plants is legal, the risk? for patients of becoming a victim of the law will shrink.?
6. Patient frustration around the limitation of home grow plants. The limitation on the number of flowering plants doesn’t seem very practical to us, nor does the upper limit of 3 flowering plants. It is an improvement, but it could be bigger.?
7. Driving Licence issue will not be fully resolved. One of the biggest problems for patients exists around drivers’ licences which can currently be revoked for patients consuming cannabis.? Thankfully, today it has been pronounced that changes in the upper THC-blood-ratio-limit will be made around the legalisation of cannabis. However,? when the new law comes into force, existing upper-limits will still continue. This will continue to be a problem for the existing cannabis patients and consumers, who today often suffer the removal of their drivers’ licence.
Summary of the key juridical modifications:
-Cannabis should no longer fall under narcotics law. In the future, infringements shall be punished within a new juridical framework. New laws should include lower punishment than currently.?
Lauterbach and ?zdemir announced that cannabis drug policy will rest on two pillars:?
Pillar one will decriminalise home grow and growing associations/collectives,?
– non-commercial growing associations/collectives up to 500 members
– Homegrowing: 3 flowering plants per person shall be allowed
– Buying of 7 seeds or 5 cuttings shall be allowed
– Possession of year's harvest of 3 flowering plants shall be possible/not punished
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?– Transfer of 25g per person per day in a a club, not more than 50g per month?
→Young adults (under 21) only 30g per month with upper THC-limit?
– Persons are allowed to carry 25g with them in public
–consumption in the collectives is (still) not foreseen in law, there are different party opinions existing:?
Green Party and FDP say Yes, Head of Ministry of health Karl Lauterbach/SPD says no
??– Federal state authorities shall be responsible for controlling and licensing.
Pillar two will include commercial trafficking in licensed specialised stores, but only in model regions.
– unclear, if imported cannabis for consumption will be possible if it's for medical use
– the rules about maximum amounts to be sold and carried will be the same as listed above
– no consumption in specialised stores
– national governmental authorities responsible for licencing and controlling?
– growing and trafficking of cannabis under strictly governmental control
– licences for every part of the supply chain
Because Pillar one will include home growing up to three flowering plants, this will be a big improvement for patients, compared to the actual situation. Plus patients will be able to organise themselves in growing collectives.?
According to the parliamentary process, it could be possible, that a new law could be announced towards October/end of the year.
Expert in the science, medicine, law and politics of cannabis, providing consultancy services in licensing and marketing
1 年Some may complain but I'll take it with open arms. It's wonderful news. Let's see it throughout Europe now.