Europe’s most commonly used illicit drug has moved from the coffee shops of Amsterdam to mainstream political debate. But EU governments remain deeply divided in their attitudes to cannabis. What’s the right path for Europe to take on cannabis, and where does Brussels’ role lie? What Brussels can do is feed information to member states through tools like directives. This is something it could do right now with medical cannabis, but it has not yet taken the initiative. So each member state has no idea what it should do about the medical use of cannabis in terms of EU policy. To be sure, Brussels cannot obligate a country to conform to a directive.

Germany's plans to legalise cannabis consumption in 2024 are looking increasingly unlikely as it has yet to submit its proposals to the European Commission, the health ministry confirmed to Euronews. The ministry said that its draft law for the legalisation of cannabis is “currently being drafted” within the federal government. “A large number of legal and operational questions concerning implementation need to be answered and coordinated between the ministries in charge” before it can be submitted to the European Commission, it added. Berlin unveiled its bold project to legalise cannabis in October 2022. Under the plan, German consumers would be allowed to buy up to 30 grammes of cannabis for private consumption with supplies cultivated and distributed through a controlled market.

Does the cannabis legalisation planned by the German government's traffic lights coalition violate European law and relevant UN agreements? While Bavarian Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) presented an expert opinion by law professor Bernhard Wegener from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Munich, who answered this question with a clear "yes", LTO has received an unpublished legal study by two scientists from the University of Nijmegen, which comes to the opposite conclusion. They examined the relevant EU Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA, which obliges Member States to criminalise any form of illicit trafficking in drugs and thus also in cannabis. 

It's cannabis crunch time in Brussels. In October 2022, Germany laid out a bold plan to fully legalize recreational cannabis for people aged 18 and over. But bloc-wide laws on everything from the single market to drug smuggling threaten to spoil the party — unless Germany can persuade the EU to get on board. The generally socially liberal Europe has been shy when it comes to legalizing psychoactive cannabis for recreational use. The drug is banned almost everywhere in the bloc and the few legalization initiatives are national movements. Now, Germany’s push for legalization, led by the progressive traffic light coalition currently in power, challenges the EU to hash out exactly how recreational weed could fit into the bloc's rules.

The German Minister of Health has given up the plan to have cannabis legalization as a whole approved by the EU. He is now pursuing a dual strategy: he only wants to submit part of the reforms to the Commission, while the other part is to be implemented solely on the basis of German law (and is allowed under EU legislation). In a first step, cannabis will only be available in certain pilot regions in certified shops. These could be large cities such as Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg or Munich, but rural areas are also being considered in order to test the effects of legal sales under different conditions. The second part of the plan does not need the approval of the EU: decriminalizing posession (20/30 grammes), home growing and allowing cannabis social clubs. (See also: Germany will move forward with scaled-back marijuana reform plan amid EU review)

The aim of the study was to review the information available on the use of khat (Catha edulis) in the EU, and to assess the future use of this drug and related substances. Khat use sits awkwardly within the current EU reporting framework, and this hampers the production of a European-level analysis of the use of this drug. Why this is so, and what information is available at the European level, are the topics addressed in this paper. The analysis is extended to consider if the current evidence suggests that this drug, or synthetic variations of the psychoactive compounds it contains, are likely to play a greater role in the European drug scene of the future.

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Expertos e informes en América y Europa coinciden en este punto: los carteles-monopolio al estilo Pablo Escobar, que organizaban toda la operación desde la plantación a la distribución, no eran estructuras preparadas para sobrevivir en el tiempo. Desde que los grandes carteles colombianos se empezaron a fragmentar en los años noventa, el negocio del tráfico se fue dislocando y tercerizando. A partir de entonces, campesinos, fabricantes, empresarios, transportistas, aduaneros, pilotos, marineros, buzos, policías, militares, peones y vendedores al menudeo forman los eslabones de una cadena que, al cerrarse, hacen que la cocaína de los Andes llegue a cualquier destino del mundo. Y lo hacen de forma compartimentada, autónoma.

La Comisión Europea ha propuesto que los estados miembros que participen en la Comisión de Estupefacientes de Naciones Unidas que se reunirá en Viena en marzo voten a favor de retirar el cannabis de la Lista IV de la Convención sobre Estupefacientes, donde se encuentran las drogas más peligrosas, para favorecer así el uso medicinal y terapéutico de la planta de la marihuana. Sin embargo, en la propuesta se aboga por solicitar un nuevo informe a la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) para seguir analizando la conveniencia de dejar de considerar fiscalizable el cannabidiol (CBD), componente utilizado en algunos fármacos, o las tinturas y extractos.

Si l'usage thérapeutique du cannabis est déjà entré dans une phase de test, son emploi «à des fins récréatives» n'est pas encore à l'ordre du jour de la Chambre. Annoncée à plusieurs reprises par le gouvernement de Luxembourg, la mesure devrait «prochainement» aboutir à un projet de loi, a annoncé Etienne Schneider (LSAP), ministre de la Santé. Le projet de loi qui inquiète les voisins du Grand-Duché n'est pas encore prêt. Aucune date précise n'a été avancée. La future disposition pourrait entrer en conflit avec des conventions internationales ratifiées par le pays. (A lire aussi: Luxembourg : plus d’obstacles que prévu sur le cannabis)

Marihuana más potente, más cara y de origen local. El cannabis que se consume en Europa cada vez coloca más. En consonancia, cuesta más. Y eso pese a que cada vez se produce más en el continente y por tanto los costes de transporte y riesgos de cruzar fronteras son menores, según la Unión Europea, que sigue señalando a España como la principal puerta de entrada a Europa del hachís que viene de Marruecos, aunque también admite que el mercado está cada vez más diversificado. La UE ha presentado su Informe sobre los mercados de drogas de la UE 2019, un documento que radiografía el estado de la cuestión del sector con un enfoque en clave más de seguridad y policial que otra cosa.

Los coordinadores nacionales antidrogas de los países miembros de los Veintisiete se reunieron la semana pasada en Praga con motivo de la presidencia checa del Consejo de la UE. El tema principal de sus debates fue la política sobre el cannabis de cada uno de los países y su desarrollo en el futuro. Pero Chequia podría tener ya resuelta esa cuestión en menos de dos años. El coordinador Vobořil ya prepara una propuesta de ley sobre la venta y compra de marihuana que podría discutirse en el Parlamento checo antes de que acabe el año y entrar en vigor a partir de 2024. Vobořil conversó sobre el asunto con la Radio Checa, argumentando su postura. (Véase también: La legalización de la marihuana generaría millones a las arcas del Estado)

Los entes locales y regionales de toda Europa se enfrentan a las consecuencias negativas de un mercado ilícito de cannabis que no decae. Cada vez más, autoridades locales y regionales, grupos de presión no gubernamentales y movimientos de base abogan por regular el mercado del cannabis recreativo. El Transnational Institute (TNI) analizó posibles modelos de regulación del mercado de cannabis (en Bélgica, España, Suiza, Alemania, Dinamarca y los Países Bajos) con el fin de que las autoridades locales compartan las mejores prácticas y mejoren sus conocimientos sobre los mercados de drogas como mecanismo para reducir las consecuencias negativas de los mercados de drogas ilícitas para las personas y la sociedad.

Germany's Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is sticking to his legalisation plans. In the coming weeks, he will present a proposal for cannabis legalisation that conforms to European law. "In the meantime, we have changed the original key point paper somewhat," Lauterbach said, without giving details. The proposal that he will present will be in conformity with European law on the one hand, and on the other hand will achieve the goals of the Federal Government. Scientists from Nijmegen University concluded in an expert report that the introduction of a state-controlled, national cannabis licensing system by an EU member state is possible under certain conditions in accordance with European and international law.

Luxembourg's plans to allow residents to grow four cannabis plants at their home have been thrown into question after the country's de-facto upper chamber stated the proposals would breach international law. Lawmakers who put forward the draft law "risk exposing themselves to criticism on the international level of non-conformity with international law," the State Council said in a legal opinion. While Luxembourg's plans would breach international law, they would conform with existing EU law, the state council found, given the country would not completely legalise cannabis. (See also: Cannabis cultivé chez soi : l’Europe ne dit pas non)

The Czech cabinet recently approved drug policies that include introducing a strictly regulated cannabis market. The details of the plan are still being fine-tuned – but there already obstacles in sight. The exact rules are now being drafted by an expert group. The state’s drugs policy chief, Jindřich Vobořil, said previously that taxation on legalised cannabis could bring no less than CZK 15 billion into the state coffers annually. The authorities in Germany are discussing a similar move. However, they recently had to tone down their intentions somewhat following concerns from the European Union.The Czech government’s plans could run into similar obstacles. Another aspect is that all elements within the five-party Czech government coalition may not be in unison on the matter.

The German 'traffic light' coalition of the SPD, Greens, and Liberals promised in their 2021 post-election governing manifesto to not just decriminalise cannabis — but to be the first country in Europe legalise it. Nearly 18 months later, and with a battle with Brussels looming over the move, not to mention the likely knock-on effects of Europe's largest (by population) and richest nation effectively making marijuana another lifestyle choice, like alcohol, how is that going? EUobserver spoke to Georg Wurth, the head of the German Hemp Association [Deutsche Hanfverband] in Berlin, to assess the likely pitfalls and potential.

On Friday 15 July,representatives from Germany, the Netherlands, and Malta met at Senningen Castle and agreed that they want to switch to a different drug policy. The failure of the repressive approach "cannot be denied, and the time has come to develop a new approach, based on dialogue with like-minded states and European and international institutions". A joint resolution was released by Luxembourg, Malta and Germany. The Netherlands abstained. "However, we all agree that the status quo is not an option. We need a new structured and multilateral drug policy", according to Justice Minister Sam Tanson of Luxembourg. (See also:Luxembourg : l’État compte cultiver du cannabis)

Le gouvernement peut mieux faire. C'est la mention qu'attribue, ce mardi matin sur les ondes de100,7, le Dr. Alain Origer, aux annonces concernant l'usage du cannabis en Luxembourg. «C'est un premier pas dans la bonne direction, mais ça ne doit pas être le dernier», estime le coordinateur national drogues auprès du ministère de la Santé. Et d’appeler à ne pas perdre de vue l'objectif ultime : la légalisation du cannabis récréatif. Si la volonté du Luxembourg d'avancer dans la dépénalisation du cannabis est mal perçue par ses pays voisins, Alain Origer qualifie leurs pressions exercées sur le gouvernement «de bonne guerre». (A lire aussi: La carotte, le bâton et... le cannabis)

More than half of the European population support legalization of adult use of cannabis and around 30% of them are interested in purchasing it, according to polling data by industry consultants. Europe's liberal approach could reap multiple financial and economic benefits as seen in the United States, which has witnessed a surge in cannabis use during pandemic-induced lockdowns. While majority of Europeans support regulated cannabis shops, most do not favor growing the plant at home, according to the report by London-based consultancy Hanway and pot producer Curaleaf International. The report comes a week after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to end the federal ban on marijuana.