Germany is wrapping up the most historic year for cannabis policy and industry in the nation’s history. Starting on April 1, 2024, adults in Germany could legally cultivate up to three plants in their private residences and possess up to 25 grams of cannabis when away from their homes.
Next year will likely prove to be another historic year for German cannabis policy and industry. The most anticipated development in Germany for 2025 will be the launch of regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials. Whereas European Union agreements prohibit national recreational cannabis sales, pilot trials are permitted under EU law since they are research-based.
Crafting National Cannabis Policy
The premise of regional pilot trials is that by permitting localized cannabis commerce, it provides an opportunity for lawmakers and regulators to gather information to use when crafting national policies. Pilot trials are already operating in the Netherlands and Switzerland with no reported issues.
Germany took a major step forward in implementing pilot trials by announcing this month that the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food will help oversee Germany’s recreational cannabis research projects, part of which includes pilot trials.
“By passing the Consumer Cannabis Act, the Bundestag has given the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) was given the task of appointing the responsible body for processing research applications on consumer cannabis and industrial hemp. The regulation that has now been issued—the Consumer Cannabis Science Responsibility Regulation—stipulates that the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food will examine corresponding research applications and monitor the approved projects,” the German government stated in a news release (translated from German to English).
