Berlin to trial legal marijuana scheme

Berlin to trial legal marijuana scheme



Berlin is on course to at least semi-legalising marijuana after a cross-party movement agreed on a ground-breaking pilot scheme.

The capital’s Social Democrats, the Greens and the Left Party have agreed on a “controlled distribution of cannabis to adults” project.

Cannabis possession is illegal in Germany, although people found with less than 15g are often not prosecuted.

Berlin’s Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district has previously tried to legalise controlled cannabis dealing, but has been thwarted by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices.

The city is one of 16 federal states in Germany with the authority to introduce its own laws.

The move follows decriminalisation of cannabis in Nevada, California and Massachusetts, passed in votes on 8 November, that allows over-21s to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and to cultivate up to six plants for personal use.

Max Plenert of the German Hemp Association, as quoted by broadcaster Deutsche Welle, said: “The legal code is decided at the federal level, and this is about a local attempt to try to do things differently.

“This is a pilot project with limits. It’s an attempt to advance the discussion about how things could be different.

“It won’t have a massive effect on the market for drugs as a whole. But as with other pilot projects concerning drugs, it’s a chance to show politicians and the press that the topic isn’t such a big deal. And that could kick-start larger changes.”

Cannabis contains cancer-causing chemicals, is associated with psychotic illness including schizophrenia, can disrupt sperm production and ovulation, and can harm unborn babies – according to the NHS.

With some comments after the article -

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...ana-legalisation-scheme-germany-a7416151.html

Interesting... I hope they realize that cannabis distribution isn't really just a "project." You have to get it from somewhere, then processing, packaging, etc...

^Yeah not only that, but it's still illegal on the federal level and other than in the US (I guess?) federal law always trumps state law in Germany and a cop would get in a lot of trouble for looking the other way and not enforcing federal law. I wouldn't hold my breath.

Mr Gorbachev, burn down this bowl!

I will comment on this when I have read anything about it from a credible German source... but I can tell you that weed is very prevalent in the city, when you are there you smell it all the time, and as the article states, you can have 15g on you and not be charged, so it is practically decriminalized for users already, allthough the authorities might take it from you. I'm not a resident though and havent been to Berlin a lot, so I don't have detailed insight into the situation over there.

Well it's not really decriminalized. There was a ruling like 20 years ago, that people shouldn't get in trouble for 'small amounts', but it's up to the individual states to decide what is a 'small amount'. Berlin is one of the most liberal with 15g, in most states it is 6g iirc. However there is no guarantee for people caught with such a small amount, the law simply says that the states attourney can drop the charges if he feels like it. Recently law enforcement has been cracking down on open air markets here in Hamburg for example and apparently they feel the need to go through with a trial and convict an african refugee who was caught with the outrageous amount of 0.5g. The fact that the cop who supposedly witnessed him dealing couldn't remember anymore if it was actually him, didn't seem to bother anyone either. After all as the cop said, he wouldn't have arrested him if he hadn't been sure about it back then. But no need to worry, "skin colour played no role in this case", according to the judge who convicted him, so all is fine and dandy in Germany! (Source in German if anybody is interested)

A fucking disgrace is what it is.