Partial legalization - Cannabis clubs in Hesse about to start
After the contentious partial legalization takes effect starting from Monday (1st July), growing Cannabis plants in specific clubs is allowed in Hessen. Several such clubs have already registered in Hessen, including in Kassel, Melsungen, Limburg, Bensheim, Darmstadt and Wiesbaden, as shown on the registration portal of the states. Several courts reported numerous other applications at the end of May.
At the Frankfurt and Rüsselsheim Cannabis Club Bembel Buds, they are initially dealing with paperwork. The license can be applied for starting from 1st July, but many regulations need to be met beforehand, as founder Arne Loeffel explains. Hessen has made it difficult for the growing associations. "It's been a game of time," Loeffel says.
A tax ID number needs to be applied for, which can take eight to twelve weeks. A permit for authorities is also required. Additionally, there are further uncertainties, such as how the concept for addiction prevention should be designed. Currently, there are around 400 interested parties for Bembel Buds. Loeffel expects a rapidly increasing number.
The cultivation is planned to take place in Rüsselsheim. A suitable area has been found, but the rental contract will not be signed until the license is obtained. "We are planning to harvest the first crop no earlier than December," Loeffel explains. He is an advocate for moderate consumption. Now it's about growing high-quality Cannabis under legal conditions. "It's important that serious clubs implement the law, otherwise it will be repealed by the next federal government."
The Gießen Red Lion Cannabis Social Club still needs a suitable hall - and the search for one is proving difficult, according to club chairman and board member Tim Barton. There are many people with reservations who do not want to make their buildings available - but also those who find this use acceptable or even support the club. Not every hall offers the necessary prerequisites, as it requires, for example, a strong power connection for lamps, an exhaust system, and climate control.
The implementation of the Cannabis law is running "as planned, that is, slowly" from Barton's perspective. The Gießen club will apply for the cultivation license no later than the coming month, but it may take until October for the approval to be granted, and cultivation could begin around mid-October. The demand is high - nearly 2,500 people have expressed their interest in the Red Lion Cannabis Social Club and have registered on a waiting list.
Initiators want to start with less than 500 members and grow "organically" - one doesn't want to just function as a Cannabis dispensary, but also build a club life with common events like hiking or grilling. On the club homepage, Barton and co-founder Benjamin Paul advocate for "conscious and properly applied consumption". The club aims to educate about "Safer and Smarter Use" of Cannabis online and at events, as well as sensitize politics "for the interests and realities of the Cannabis community", it is stated there.
Nationwide, responsible for the approval of new cultivation associations is the Government Presidium Darmstadt. The corresponding applications can be submitted online starting from July 1st. Based on the current population figures of Hessen, the authority assumes that around 1000 cultivation associations - that is, one cultivation association per 6000 inhabitants in a county or a free city - can be applied for, as a spokesperson of the authority explained on request. "We currently expect several hundred applications."
The duration of processing depends mainly on whether the applicants fully submit all documents. "The goal is to grant permits within three months," the spokesperson said.
Bembel Buds Registerportal Red Lion Cannabis Social Club Info Government Presidium Darmstadt on Permits for Cannabis Cultivation and Distribution in Cultivation Associations Questions and Answers Federal Health Ministry on the Cannabis Law
- The partial legalization of cannabis cultivation in specific clubs will officially commence in Hesse on July 1st, affecting cities like Rüsselsheim, Melsungen, Limburg, Bensheim, Darmstadt, and Wiesbaden.
- Arne Loeffel, founder of the Frankfurt and Rüsselsheim Cannabis Club Bembel Buds, is currently dealing with paperwork as they prepare for the commencement of the legalization on July 1st.
- In Kassel, the Gießen Red Lion Cannabis Social Club is still searching for a suitable hall for their operations, as many people are reluctant to make their buildings available for such use.
- The Gießen club plans to submit their cultivation license application no later than the coming month, with cultivation potentially starting around mid-October, subject to approval.
- The initiative aims to start with less than 500 members and cultivate organically, focusing on building a club life and promoting responsible cannabis consumption.
- The Government Presidium Darmstadt is responsible for approving new cultivation associations in Hesse, with around 1000 applications expected based on the current population figures.
- The processing time for applications depends largely on whether all required documents are fully submitted, with the goal set by the authority to grant permits within three months.
- The Bembel Buds, Gießen Red Lion Cannabis Social Club, and other clubs can submit their applications for permits for cannabis cultivation and distribution through the respective registration portals.
- The Federal Health Ministry provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding the cannabis law to help guide clubs and growers through the legalization process.
