European Leaders Meet In Berlin To Discuss Cannabis Policies
Commissioner on Narcotic Drugs at the Federal Ministry of Health Burkhard Blienert has invited delegations from various European countries to exchange experiences on regulating cannabis for non-medical purposes.
According to the official press release, participants include ministerial representatives from Luxembourg Malta, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Germany, as well as experts from academia, civil society and senior representatives of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The meetings are to be held on Monday and Tuesday.
“We can only address the health risks associated with the rising global use of cannabis and the threats posed by organized drug crime with modern drug policy approaches and in collaboration with like-minded nations,” Blienert stated.
This ministerial exchange builds on consultations held in 2022 in Luxembourg and 2023 in Malta. The focus is on initial experiences with regulating non-medical cannabis, as well as prevention and evidence-based approaches. The participating governments intend to continue this exchange in the coming years.
Partial cannabis legalization took effect in Germany on April 1, making it the third country in the European Union to legalize adult-use cannabis after Malta andLuxembourg. Under this first pillar of cannabis legalization, adults over 18 can legally possess up to 25 grams of dried cannabis flower and cultivate up to three marijuana plants at …