Skip to main content

Where Do Germany’s Political Parties Currently Stand On Cannabis Policy?

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Germany Bundestag Parliament

Germany’s president previously announced the dissolution of the lower house of parliament. Chancellor Olaf Scholz also lost a confidence vote in December, paving the way for an early election on February 23, 2025.

As the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW) pointed out in its recent newsletter, the federal election in Germany next month could prove to be “decisive for the future of cannabis legalization in Germany.” Below is a summary of where each major political party stands on cannabis policy in Germany according to BvCW:

  • The CDU/CSU are strictly opposed to legalization and have announced that they will reverse the law if they win the election. They see the current law as a failure that neither limits consumption nor curbs the black market.
  • The SPD wants to stick to the current cannabis law and decided last weekend to also take the necessary steps for legalization in line with European law.
  • The Greens are striving to expand the law and establish licensed specialist shops.
  • FDP is committed to complete legalization and calls for education to ensure responsible consumption.
  • AfD rejects legalization and wants to reverse it immediately. It relies on offers of help for abstinence and emphasizes health policy concerns.
  • The Left is calling for further legalization. It is calling for a general rethink in drug policy and wants to promote prevention and regulate advertising for drugs such as alcohol and tobacco more strictly.

Starting on April 1st, 2024, cannabis possession and cultivation by adults became legal in Germany. Then, starting on July 1st, 2024, people in Germany could start applying to launch cultivation associations. The two components combine to make up ‘Pillar 1’ of Germany’s legalization model.

‘Pillar 2’ of Germany’s legalization model involves launching regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials. The pilot trials serve as local recreational cannabis commerce research projects to help lawmakers and regulators gain data and insight to help when crafting national laws and regulations.

For further analysis of Germany’s upcoming elections and how cannabis policy may be affected, check out the International Cannabis Business Conference’s recent conversation with leading international attorney Peter Homberg of gunnercooke.

Germany