The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) has expressed concern over the cancellation of a final vote scheduled for this week on a bill that would legalize marijuana. This delay will mean that the groundbreaking proposal is now being postponed to next year.
Dirk Heidenblut is an SPD member in Germany’s Bundestag, who is responsible for cannabis policy. He said this in an Instagram posting. “And if the SPD has concerns about it, then we cannot set it up.”
Heidenblut said that despite the delay, as long as it advances by the last day of January, this delay should not have a significant impact on the schedule for legalization.
The first stages of reform, including home cultivation for personal consumption, could begin as early as April if lawmakers pass the bill.
This is just the latest in a series of delays that have slowed down the pace at which the bill has been passed through the parliament. The first debate was in October , but it was due to the conflict between Israel and Palestine .
They also delayed a vote that was scheduled for last month while supporters worked to improve the bill.
Heidenblut did not elaborate on SPD concerns nor provide any further details about the delay. However, last week in the Bundestag, the supporters of the legalization policy faced criticism that indicated a continued hesitancy regarding the change.
In a meeting held on Wednesday, Karl Lauterbach answered questions from members who were opposed to legalization. He responded at several points to lawmakers who claimed that legalization could send a wrong message to young people, and increase underage consumption.
Lauterbach stated that “the fact is, child and youth protection continues to be carried out by education and sales of products and services to children and adolescents remain prohibited.” Lauterbach said, “The only thing we’ve done in this area is tighten the rules.”
Lawmakers also made a number of changes to the bill in recent months, mainly to ease restrictions which were opposed by advocates and supporters within the Bundestag. The changes included increasing the maximum amount of marijuana that can be kept at home and eliminating the possibility of prison time for possession slightly above the limit.
The lawmakers also agreed to implement the reform in stages, beginning with the legalization of home cultivation and possession for adults starting in April. In July, social clubs that can distribute marijuana to their members will open.
Eventually, officials plan to introduce a second complementary measure which would establish pilot sales programs in all cities of the country. This legislation will be revealed after it has been submitted to the European Commission to review.
The German news outlet LTO reported about the latest delay. It’s unclear whether “the SPD faction leadership have a problem with content of the legislation” or if they simply feel that focusing on marijuana “in the midst of the budget crisis just before Christmas” is inappropriate.
LTO stated that the Bundestag can now adopt the measure as early as January 18, or February.
Der Spiegel in Germany reported, however, that the problem was caused by criticisms from SPD politicians at home.
Sebastian Fiedler , a SPD-affiliated politician in Germany, told that there was never an agreement. If the cannabis legalization law were to be put up for a vote now, the SPD faction would have a large number of “no” votes. “Including mine.”
A SPD spokesperson told the publication that: “We’re confident the law will pass quickly in the Bundestag in the New Year.”
Kirsten Kappert Gonther, a Green Party member of parliament, expressed her disappointment at the delay.
It is extremely regrettable that #Cannabis has not been included in the #Tagesordnug [legislative calendar]. Kappert Gonther stated that a set-up could have been done.
She said that April as the start date for some elements of legalization can be achieved “if it’s set up at the start of the year!”
Es ist ausserordentlich bedauerlich, dass #Cannabis bisher nicht auf der #Tagesordnung steht.
Eine Aufsetzung ware moglich gewesen.
Wichtig: Das im Entwurf vorgesehene Inkrafttreten zum 1. April kann aber auch bei einer Aufsetzung Anfang des Jahres erreicht werden!— Kirsten Kappert-Gonther (@KirstenKappert) December 2, 2023
Ates Gurpinar who represents The Left Party in the Bundestag was not shy on social media after the announcement of the delay.
Gurpinar posted on social media that it was “politically stupid” for the SPD leadership to stop the #Cannabis Law. “It’s once again bowing down to the culture-war of the right, and making it even bigger.” Right-wingers keep the issue hot by playing around with #Legalisierung. “Just get through it. Damn it!”
Es ist politisch so dumm, dass die SPD-Fuhrung das #Cannabis-Gesetz aufhalt. Sie beugt sich dem Kulturkampf der Rechten einmal mehr – und macht sie damit grosser. Das Rumgeiere bei der #Legalisierung halt das Thema von rechts am Kochen. Ziehts halt durch, verdammt nochmal.
Ates Gurpinar December 2, 2020 HTML0
As evidenced by Carmen Wegge’s social media post, a SPD member who supported the legalization plan, the German public is also disappointed.
She wrote: “Dear all,” she wrote. “If you’re not satisfied, please send me an email, or contact me another way.” Making weekend phone calls to my employee and finding out their home number is not a set-up.
Liebe Alle, wenn ihr unzufrieden seid, dann schreibt mir gerne ne Mail oder meldet euch auf anderem Wege. Die Privatnummer meines Mitarbeiters rauszufinden und am Wochenende Telefonterror zu machen fuhrt nicht zu einer Aufsetzung. Wenn jemand nichts dafur kann, dann @kliemarv
— Carmen Wegge (@CarmenWegge) December 4, 2023
In response to the delays, the German Hemp Association launched a campaign to urge lawmakers to push forward with the legalization legislation. The group asks supporters to write letters to their legislators to urge the bill to pass without any further restrictions.
The hemp association stated that the SPD faction is holding up the legalization process. It also contradicts all the other parties’ statements that they have reached an agreement.
After the final reading of the bill in the Bundestag it will be sent to the Bundesrat. This is a separate legislative organ that represents German state representatives. In September, members of the Bundesrat attempted to block the reform proposal but ultimately won .
Lauterbach is the Health Minister who spearheaded the legalization proposal. He first revealed details about the revised plan in April. distributed the legislative text in April to cabinet officials.
The Health Committee of the Bundestag held an hearing recently, during which opponents criticised some aspects of the proposal. The Union, an alliance between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Unions (CSU), also presented a competing proposal. This would not legalize cannabis, but “improve the health protection, strengthen education, prevention, and research,” Kappert Gonther stated at the time.
In response to criticisms of the bill by medical and law enforcement organizations, the health minister stressed that a major campaign would be launched to educate the public on the dangers of cannabis use.
The German Federal Cabinet approved an initial framework of a legalization initiative late last year. However, the government wished to receive the EU‘s approval to make sure that the reform would not violate their international obligations.
The framework was the result of months of discussions and reviews within the German government and the traffic-light coalition. Last summer officials began a series hearings to inform legislation that would end the prohibition of cannabis in Germany.
Last month, government officials from several countries, including the U.S. met in Germany to talk about international marijuana policy, as the host country works to legalize the drug.
Last year, a group of German legislators, including Narcotics Drugs Commission Burkhard Blienert , visited the U.S. separately and visited California cannabis businesses to help inform their approach to legalization.
The visit took place two months after the first meeting of its kind between top officials from Germany and Luxembourg , Malta , and the Netherlands to discuss plans and challenges related to recreational marijuana legalization.
In 2021, the leaders of the coalition government announced that they had agreed to end cannabis prohibition as well as enacting regulations for a new legal industry. They first revealed certain details of this plan in 2013.
In a new international survey released last year , the majority of respondents in Germany and other key European countries supported legalization.
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The article Germany Delays the Final Vote on Marijuana Legalization Bill until Next Year first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
