Germany: Proposed Bill In Germany Looks To Tighten Rules For Cannabis Associations
It starts .. Germany is beginning to tread the well worn path that just heads to creating a more efficient black market.
It the usual story of saying, “we’re legalising” and then legislating the reality out of existence and just making life too hard and expensive for legal operators. Giving local authorities the upperhand seems like a good idea until you realize that the level of education within local government tends to be miniscule at the very best.
Business of cannabis reports
The German government is reportedly set to push through legislation that would tighten the already strict rules around cultivation associations.
According to a leaked draft bill, seen by local news publication Augsburger Allgemeine, the new rules would seek to deter any commercial activity emerging from the clubs, which are set to begin selling cannabis to members from July 01.
Despite the government passing CanG last month, with the first aspects of the new cannabis reform coming into effect earlier this month, it is understood that the tightening of the rules is intended to ensure that no aspects fall foul of international law.
Cannabis Associations
The Cannabis Act (CanG) legislates for the creation of cannabis associations, or ‘clubs’, that can supply up to 500 members with a maximum of 50 grams of cannabis per month.
Based on current prices on the illicit market, this could see millions of euros change hands at the cultivation clubs.
However, due to international laws, a key aspect of these associations is that they must be ‘not-for-profit’, which also means they are unable to hire full-time employees or employ third parties.
In the days leading up to the final vote in the Bundesrat, the federal government made an offer to the federal states in a scramble to allay fears and ensure the bill would pass unhindered by a mediation committee.
It offered a number of key concessions relating to the upcoming cultivation associations, attempting to soothe concerns that they would impose increasing burdens on local authorities.
These included ‘regular controls’ being brought in, rather than annual inspections, alongside the prevention of ‘large scale cultivation areas’ to stop any entities from growing into commercial operations.
It now appears the government is seeking to make good on its promises to states and push through legislation to realise these points.
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