Germany has started expert hearings for its plan to legalize adult-use cannabis, the Associated Press reports. On Monday, the German Health Ministry shared it would begin holding expert hearings with the goal of crafting legislation by later this year. The hearings started on Tuesday and include over 200 representatives from the medical and legal fields and other disciplines.
Government officials and unnamed international experts are expected to join the hearings, five of which will be held throughout the coming month, according to the report.
In a statement, Drug Czar Burkhard Blienert said he has “worked for years toward us in Germany finally ending the criminalization of cannabis consumers” and that his goal is a “modern and health-oriented cannabis policy.”
Germany’s plan to legalize adult-use cannabis is part of a deal between a coalition of three socially liberal parties that make up Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government. In their plan, the coalition says they will ensure quality control and revisit the “social effects” of adult-use cannabis after four years, the AP reports.
Niklas Kouparanis, CEO of Bloomwell Group, a Frankfurt-based medical cannabis holding company, told Ganjapreneur in an email, “The announcement that the hearings will take place is a clear signal to the market, investors, and consumers alike that the government is very serious about legalizing adult-use cannabis in Germany.
“It’s also encouraging that experts are being consulted in preparation of drafting the legislation and that key issues are being addressed, including consumer protection, supply chain, protection of minors, international experience, among other issues. I’m completely convinced that many European countries will follow Germany’s way to legalize the adult-use industry. That said, I would like to emphasize that Germany shouldn’t rush the draft of this legislation. It can only become a role model for other countries if the legal framework is 100% waterproof.” — Kouparanis, in an email
In December 2021, Malta became the first European Union member to legalize cannabis for adults.
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