In Germany the possession of cannabis is illegal. Even small amounts are prosecuted, but charges are usually dropped. The definition of this "small amount" varies depending on the federal state. Most states do not prosecute up to 6 grams. The state of Berlin, being the most liberal, allows 15 grams. However the use and consumption of cannabis is not forbidden in Berlin, it’s actually one of the most liberal cities in the world regarding cannabis. Germany's number one open illegal market to buy cannabis in public is Görlitzer Park, affectionately known as "Gorli" by the locals.

Lately, there have been clear signs of a shift in governments’ approaches to recreational cannabis. Uruguay in 2013 and Canada in 2018 – as well as a number of US states since 2012 – have moved to control cannabis through regulated markets from seed to sale rather than prohibition. More recently, the newly elected president of Mexico and the new coalition governments of Luxembourg and Malta also announced their intentions to regulate the recreational cannabis market. This is increasingly seen as a more promising way to protect people’s health and safety, and has changed the drug policy landscape and the terms of the debate.

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The reform enacted by the Maltese government in 2021 Act No. LXVI to establish the Authority on the Responsible Use of Cannabis and to amend various laws relating to certain cannabis activities, included strong provisions to safeguard public health, human rights, respect for personal freedoms and autonomy. Nonetheless, parts of the new law in Malta, including the de facto implementation of the law, continue to reflect discriminatory practices of the past and replicates injustices and suffering for people who consume cannabis. Unfortunately, the law has totally ignored the negative effects caused by criminalisation and continues to promote a stigmatised approach. (See also: Cannabis lobby slams 'regressive' Labour manifesto)

La planta de cannabis podría abandonar su estatus de “sustancia prohibida” en Argentina este 2020. Después de más de 30 años de sancionada la actual ley de drogas, el Gobierno nacional activó los primeros mecanismos para cambiar la legislación y dar un paso paradigmático: el de la regulación y el fin de la criminalización. “La solución no es andar persiguiendo a los que se fuman un porro”, remarcó Alberto Fernández en junio del año pasado, cuando aún como candidato le preguntaron por la cuestión del cannabis. Fuentes del gobierno ya estiman que en un 80% de los apresados con marihuana tenían menos de 5 gramos en su poder al momento de ser aprehendidos por alguna fuerza policial.

Under proposed cannabis legalisation in Malta, non-profit associations can grow cannabis to distribute among their members, Equality Minister Owen Bonnici said. The minister also said that people would be allowed to grow up to four cannabis plants at one residence. Bonnici made the announcement during a press conference. He insisted that the reforms were not to "incentivise cannabis culture or cannabis consumption" but to reduce the harm of drug rings. The regulation of cannabis clubs plugs a gap in the original proposal floated by the government earlier this year. A White Paper on Strengthening the Legal Framework on the Responsible Use of Cannabis was launched on 30 March 2021.

A bill to legalize cannabis use in Israel was approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, passing its first hurdle on the way to becoming law. The legislation will decriminalize the possession of up to 50 grams of marijuana while fully legalizing the possession and consumption of up to 15 grams by individuals above the age of 21. If the bill becomes law, selling and purchasing marijuana for personal use will be legal for those above 21 and authorized shops will be allowed to sell cannabis product, through growing marijuana at home will still be illegal. The legislation also outlined medical cannabis reform. (See also: Cannabis legalization bills pass early readings; ultra-Orthodox MKs walk out) | Israeli lawmakers give preliminary approval for cannabis decriminalization)

Despite cannabis being the most widely used illegal drug, and therefore the mainstay of the ‘war on drugs’, it has only ever held a relatively marginal position in international drug policy discussions. Amanda Fielding of the Beckley Foundation decided to convene a team of the world’s leading drug policy analysts to prepare an overview of the latest scientific evidence surrounding cannabis and the policies that control its use. The report of the Beckley Foundation's Global Cannabis Commission is aimed at bringing cannabis to the attention of policymakers and guide decision making.

Cannabis Policy: Moving Beyond Stalemate

Extended Summary

Just quietly, from Friday week onwards, if you're in the ACT and you want to smoke cannabis in the privacy of your own home it will be completely legal. You'll also be able have up to 50 grams of weed sitting on your coffee table without any concerns. And if you want to turn your mind to growing a few plants in your own backyard that's okay as well. That's because as of 31 January, the personal possession and use of cannabis in the capital territory will be legal under local laws. And residents will be allowed to cultivate up to two plants. However, selling your product or even giving it away will remain illegal. In September 2018, Labor MLA Michael Pettersson introduced his cannabis legalisation private member's bill, which has turned the tide against the nationwide outlawing of the plant.

The cannabis reform White Paper attracted more than 350 submissions from organisations and individuals. Government is proposing full decriminalisation for adults in possession of 7g or less of cannabis for personal use and proceedings before the Commissioner for Justice, rather than the criminal court, for those with more than 7g but less than 28g. “Many agreed with decriminalisation but were against legalisation but there were responses criticising the White Paper for not going far enough in providing a legal framework that would completely cut out the black market and also create safe spaces outside the home for cannabis users,” sources said. (See also: Cannabis: a very costly prohibition)

Cannabis users will not be sent to prison and will be able to grow a limited amount of plants as part of government’s reform, Prime Minister Robert Abela said. This is the first time that a government official has given a clear indication of the direction the promised reform will take. Abela said Cabinet will shortly be discussing a White Paper that will be published for public consultation. He said the reform will end police arrests for people caught in possession of a small amount of cannabis and hinted that the current limit of 3.5g allowed at law would increase. He added that the right to grow a small number of cannabis plants for personal use will be considered. (See also: Cannabis users should have right to make safe and legal choices, Labour deputy leader)

Prime Minister Robert Abela of Malta launched a public consultation process on a White Paper to strengthen the legal framework on the repsonsible use of cannabis. The government is proposing that the possession of more than 7 grams but less than 28 grams for one’s exclusive personal use should be subject to proceedings before the Commissioner for Justice, as currently contemplated for the possession of less than 3.5 grams. Every residential habitation (household) can grow up to 4 plants, in a space which is not visible to the public, and which does not emit smells. The cultivated cannabis cannot be sold, and can only be consumed in the same habitation. (See also: Cannabis reform 'a bold step' in promoting human rights - ReLeaf Malta)

Local and regional authorities across Europe are confronted with the negative consequences of a persisting illicit cannabis market. Increasingly, local and regional authorities, non-governmental pressure groups and grassroots movements are advocating a regulation of the recreational cannabis market. The Transnational Institute (TNI) analysed possible cannabis market regulation models (in Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands) to allow local authorities to share best practices and improve the understanding of drug markets as a means to reduce the negative consequences of illicit drug markets on individuals and society.

Cannabis smokers in Malta will be asked to register with the government once a reform of the country's cannabis rules is implemented. “Government will be insisting on some principles, including a minimum legal age of 21, absolute prohibition [to smoke] in public places, as well as a user registration platform that protects users from criminal action and which controls dispensing,” Julia Farrugia Portelli, the parliamentary secretary piloting the reform said. She stressed that any amendments would be implemented following a public consultation, explaining that the government intended to adopt a harm reduction approach when dealing with the drug. Malta will not have any coffee shops or cannabis clubs. (See also: Harsh sentence for cannabis cultivation reopens case for decriminalisation)

Legalización no, pero despenalización sí. Se puede vender en tiendas, pero no exactamente como una droga legal. Se puede cultivar en casa, pero sólo para uso exclusivamente personal. Entonces: ¿Es legal el cannabis en Italia? Los propios italianos están intentando entender, con paciencia, qué novedades hay acerca de esta planta, tanto en relación a su uso como a su comercialización dentro del país. Con el estado actual de cosas, resulta complicado entender fácilmente dónde está la frontera entre droga permitida y droga ilegal. La novedad de estos días es que, tal como ha confirmado el Tribunal Supremo transalpino, cultivar cannabis en casa ya no será delito en Italia. (En Italiano: Coltivazione cannabis: non è penale se per uso personale | Cannabis coltivata in casa, i paletti posti dalla Cassazione)

En la última audiencia de la Comisión de Salud del Parlamento alemán (Bundestag), antes de las elecciones de septiembre, no se habló sobre el coronavirus, sino sobre el cannabis. Esta no era la primera vez en el año que los políticos de los distintos partidos y los expertos invitados a la audiencia abordaban propuestas para una política de drogas diferente. Esta vez se debatió, a pedido del grupo parlamentario del Partido Demócrata Liberal (FDP), una distribución legal controlada de "cannabis con fines de consumo" entre los adultos, como exigieron los liberales en la moción. Y en vista de la creciente demanda mundial para su uso medicinal y recreativo, incluso tienen en mente un "Cannabis made in Germany" como posible artículo de exportación.

Neos chairman Matthias Strolz has spoken out in favour of selling cannabis over the counter in pharmacies and allowing people to grow their own plants for personal consumption. He said that half a million people who regularly use cannabis in Austria risk having a criminal record and that legalization would take cannabis out of the hands of dealers and criminal gangs. He added that the goal of legalizing cannabis in Austria would be primarily to reduce drug abuse. (See also: Big cannabis fields in Vienna?)

With Marseille, one of France’s main drug trafficking hubs, having recorded around 32 deaths since the start of the year related mainly to cannabis trafficking, calls for decriminalising or even legalising cannabis are now multiplying. One such call comes from the French Economic, Social and Environmental Council (EESC), which, in an opinion published on Monday (28 August), once again called for the controlled legalisation of cannabis in France. This is not the first time that the EESC has taken up the issue. Earlier this year, it recommended moving towards legalisingcannabis as a means of putting in place an effective prevention policy and combating trafficking and violence.

“Desde el Ministerio de Seguridad creemos, en consonancia con lo que nos ha pedido el presidente Alberto Fernández, que es necesario generar un debate serio y responsable sobre la regulación del autocultivo y consumo de cannabis”, ratificó la ministra de Seguridad, Sabina Frederic. “Ese debate requiere de la participación amplia y plural de los distintos actores y organizaciones que han venido trabajando en esta temática”. Esos son los términos en los que el actual gobierno nacional abrirá el debate en torno a la marihuana. Regular el cannabis implica ir más allá de su despenalización (algo que solo evita los castigos penales a consumidores) y de su legalización (donde no se hace necesario garantizar el abastecimiento desde el Estado). (Véase: Acuerdo por la Regulación Legal del Cannabis)

Los nuevos ministros de Seguridad nacional y bonaerense impulsan para el 2020 un “debate serio” sobre la despenalización del cannabis para empezar a revertir el paradigma de la “lucha contra el narcotráfico”. Esa metodología, ensalzada por la ex ministra del área Patricia Bullrich, es la que hizo que en los años recientes “se abrieran 22 causas por día vinculadas a la tenencia de drogas para consumo personal”, según un estudio realizado en la provincia de Buenos Aires. Según el estudio “una de cada cuatro causas iniciadas son por consumo” de drogas. El informe agrega que “en los últimos cinco años, se registró un aumento del 110 por ciento en el número de las instrucciones penales preparatorias vinculadas a la violación a la Ley de Estupefacientes”.

Éric Piolle, maire (EELV) de Grenoble et partisan de la légalisation du cannabis, a appelé le président Macron et son gouvernement à abandonner les « vieilles recettes » du « tout sécuritaire ». L'écologiste, à la tête d'une ville moyenne en proie à des trafics de drogue comparables à ceux de Paris, Lyon ou Marseille, a qualifié de « demi-mesure » la proposition d'un rapport parlementaire de sanctionner les usagers de cannabis par une amende délictuelle ou une contravention. La loi prévoit actuellement jusqu'à 3 750 euros et un an de prison. « Cette mesure ne cherche pas à lutter contre les trafics. Or les trafics gangrènent nos villes, pourrissent la sécurité et la vie des habitants, avec un pendant de santé publique important », a dit M. Piolle.