Germany okays legal weed but police warn of conflicts with public

After decades of public debate and lengthy deliberations in parliament, adults in Germany will legally be able to smoke weed on the street beginning on April 1.

That became possible after the upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat, gave a law partially legalizing cannabis the green light on Friday, and decided not to send the legislation to a mediation committee. It had been passed by the lower house last month.

After years of cannabis policy that had led to unnecessary deaths and a growing black market, the new law was designed to "close Pandora's box," Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said.

The landmark legislation allows for adult possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis for personal use in public. Three live cannabis plants will be legal in one's own home and up to 50 grams of cannabis for personal use there.

Smoking weed in public spaces is to be banned in schools, sports facilities and within 100 metres of these locations.

The law also authorizes non-commercial "cultivation associations," in which up to 500 adult members residing in Germany can grow cannabis collectively and supply it to each other for personal consumption - with a maximum of 50 grams per member per month.

An initial assessment of the law is due no later than 18 months after it takes effect to determine its impact on the protection of children and young people is to be presented.

Not everyone has a high opinion of the new law.

The German Police Union (GdP) expects difficulties, conflict with citizens and more work for police from the new law.

"The federal states have missed the opportunity to exercise political common sense in the face of many unanswered questions," said the deputy federal chairman of the GdP, Alexander Poitz, on Friday.

"Police, customs, judicial authorities and youth welfare offices are now facing unnecessary challenges," he said.

He predicted that beginning on Monday, "our colleagues will find themselves in numerous conflict situations with citizens," because there remain uncertainties on all sides.

The police union had wanted Bundesrat lawmakers to send the bill to a mediation committee, which would have slowed its passage. But in the end only four of Germany's 16 federal states backed this move, and the legislation was therefore allowed to pass.

Health Minister Lauterbach praised the new law saying, "the cannabis policy of the last 10 years has failed."

Speaking after the Bundesrat vote, Lauterbach cited a doubling of consumption among children and young people, a doubling of the number of drug-related deaths and a growing black market.

"It couldn't go on like this. I was also against cannabis legalization for years," he commented.

He expects that the black market could be reduced by 75% as a result of the new law. He acknowledged that politicians from the states of Saxony and Bavaria had warned that legalizing pot would open a Pandora's box, but said that box "is wide open, and with this measure today, that we are fighting the black market, we are trying to close Pandora's box."

The new law makes Germany the third European Union country to legalize cannabis for personal use, alongside Malta and Luxembourg.