Health - Lauterbach: Cannabis cultivation clubs make dealers unemployed
At the start of the Cannabis growing cooperatives, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach defended the innovation. "With the growing cooperatives, we will make dealers unemployed in the long term, prevent contaminations and high concentrations of Cannabis, and thus protect Cannabis consumers," said the SPD politician to "Bild am Sonndag."
Three months after the Cannabis release for adults in Germany, a second stage comes into effect on Monday. Non-commercial "growing cooperatives" with up to 500 members can now join. Young adults can grow Cannabis together and exchange it among themselves for personal consumption. For this, many conditions and requirements apply. First, the cooperatives can now apply for a cultivation permit with the authorities responsible in each federal state.
Consumption, Legalization, and Warnings
Lauterbach emphasized that consumption remains prohibited for minors, and the sale to minors will be strictly punished as before. In the US, it has been shown that the consumption of minors does not increase after legalization. "With appropriate educational measures, it will be possible to push back on Cannabis consumption." Lauterbach warned: "The legalization should not mislead that the drug is harmless."
The deputy federal chairman of the Police Union (GdP), Alexander Poitz, warned that the regulations for founding and operating growing cooperatives contain "risks and entry points for organized crime." "These could undermine the structures of the growing cooperatives and use them," he said to "Bild am Sonntag." In addition, he pointed out that the growing cooperatives would not be able to meet the high demand immediately. "The dealer black market has continued to expand since April 2024."
The CSU faction leader in the Bavarian state parliament, Klaus Holetschek, demanded in the newspaper: "The growing cooperatives must be monitored as strictly as possible and may not become an access point for criminals who want to gain access to the black market."
In principle, smoking marijuana is legal for adults since 1. April with many restrictions. Since then, Cannabis cultivation has been allowed in private homes. There may be a maximum of three plants, and one may store up to 50 grams of Cannabis.
- The cultivation permit application process for non-commercial "growing cooperatives" in Germany has been opened, as stated by Karl Lauterbach, the Federal Health Minister, who also emphasized that these cooperatives will help make dealers unemployed and protect consumers from contaminations and high concentrations of Cannabis.
- In line with the SPD politician's vision, a cultivation association and a growers' association have emerged in Berlin, aiming to facilitate the growth and exchange of Cannabis among its members for personal usage, subject to various conditions and requirements.
- Despite the legalization and growth of Cannabis cultivation cooperatives in Germany, Karl Lauterbach strongly emphasized the need to uphold the ban on Cannabis consumption for minors and warned against misperceptions that Cannabis is harmless due to legalization.
- The SPD politician's stance was supported by the SPD's ally, the cultivation association, which highlighted the importance of responsible Cannabis cultivation, adhering to regulations to prevent organized crime from exploiting the cooperatives for illegal activities, and ensuring a gradual and controlled increase in Cannabis availability to meet demand, without further contributing to the expansion of the dealer black market.
