After Malta in 2021 and Luxembourg last year, Germany on Monday became the third EU country — and the largest — to legalize the use of recreational cannabis, under a law that has raised as much anticipation as concern, France Presse reports.

According to an AFP journalist, at midnight, when the first “legal” cigarettes were released, several hundred people celebrated the law coming into force with puffs of smoke in front of the famous Brandenburg Gate in the center of Berlin. and a happy crowd, Niyazi, a 25-year-old man, said he sees the decriminalization of the drug as “a little bit of extra freedom.”

Now it is allowed to keep up to 25 grams of dried hemp in public places, and to grow up to 50 grams and three adult plants at home.

This approach is diametrically opposed to that of France and differs from that of the Netherlands, where consumption is not legal but is permitted, especially through “cafés”.

Germans still have 3 months to wait before they can buy drugs legally

However, in Germany, citizens will have to wait another three months before they can legally buy drugs through the Cannabis Social Club.

Hence the warning issued in the meantime by Georg Würth, a representative of the German Cannabis Federation: despite legalization, “consumers should not tell the police where they bought marijuana” if they are stopped on the street. “Because from April 1, in principle, drugs can only be obtained illegally,” he said in an interview with AFP.

The situation will really change on July 1, with the entry into the rights of clubs. These non-profit associations will be able to sell their members a maximum of 25 grams per day and a maximum of 50 grams per month.

These clubs, a kind of communal hemp gardens, will be able to grow the drug in a backyard, in a greenhouse or in a non-residential building. Each such club can have a maximum of 500 paid members, who must reside in Germany for at least 6 months.

According to the government, the new legislation, strongly supported by environmentalists and liberals in Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition, should ensure a more effective fight against illegal trade. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has stated several times that countries such as Canada that have introduced legalization have succeeded in reducing the black market.

Doctors fear the consequences of consumption among young people

But many medical associations fear a rise in consumption, especially among young people. According to experts, under the age of 25, the use of cannabis carries a greater risk for the brain, which is still developing, and they pay special attention to the danger of developing psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. –

For Katia Seidel, an addiction prevention specialist at the Tannenhof Center in Berlin, the new law is a “disaster.”

Germany’s health minister has promised to increase resources to raise awareness among young people about the dangers of cannabis, without disclosing specific amounts. The authorities emphasize that cannabis remains prohibited for young people under the age of 18. Consumption is also prohibited within a radius of 100 meters around schools, kindergartens and playgrounds.

Police and judges are not happy with the new law

According to DPolG president Rainer Wendt, police officers are also outraged by what they see as a “bureaucratic monster with lots of rules”.

“From April 1, our colleagues will be in conflict with the public, as there is uncertainty on both sides,” explained the vice-president of the police union (GdP) Oleksandr Poits.

For its part, the Federation of German Judges (DRB) foresees an increased workload: due to the amnesty resulting from the law on marijuana-related crimes, more than 200,000 cases will have to be re-examined. This would prevent the criminal justice system from “devoting itself to other tasks for weeks and months on end,” says DRB’s Sven Reben.

• Read also Recreational cannabis will be legal in Germany, but access will not be easy / Here are some explanations