Members of Germany’s Bundestag recently approved a long-awaited adult-use cannabis legalization measure. The successful vote occurred roughly 2.5 years after Germany’s current governing coalition was first elected and members of the coalition collectively expressed their desire to get such a measure passed.
The recent legalization vote in the Bundestag, which was 407 to 226, was a major victory for Germany’s cannabis movement. Germany is the largest country by far to have ever passed a national adult-use legalization measure.
Germany’s population is roughly 83 million people. The other countries to have passed a national legalization measure (Uruguay, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg) have a combined population of roughly 43 million people.
The successful vote is a huge milestone, however, it does not mark the finish line for German legalization. For starters, the approved measure must now be considered by Germany’s Federal Council (Bundesrat). The Bundesrat’s approval is not required, however, the legislative body does have the option to challenge the measure.
