- No official cannabis association has been endorsed in Hesse so far.
After a five-month period following the partial decriminalization of cannabis and a subsequent two months since the permission to cultivate the plant was granted, no authorized cultivation groups have appeared in Hesse as of now. Up to this point, 15 requests for permission to form such groups have been submitted across the state, as reported by the Interior Ministry in Wiesbaden to the German Press Agency. These applications are currently under review.
As per a representative from the ministry, "At this stage, no requests have been granted in Hesse." The process of approving a cultivation group is quite arduous. Criteria such as trustworthiness and prevention measures must be met, among others.
In essence, cannabis plant cultivation became legal in Germany on July 1. Concurrently, the penalty guidelines for its partial legalization in Hesse were implemented. For instance, lighting up a joint in the presence of children could result in a fine of 1,000 euros. A smaller fine of 500 euros may be imposed upon any individual who smokes near schools.
A cannabis cultivation group may have no more than 500 members, after which violations may incur a penalty of 300 euros. Additionally, individuals can only belong to one such group. Breaking these rules may lead to a fine of 750 euros. Moreover, these groups are obligated to stringently regulate age and membership while transferring cannabis, using ID or passport checks and membership cards. Ignoring this rule can result in a fine of 750 euros.
The Ministry of the Interior in Wiesbaden is the entity responsible for reviewing the 15 requests to form authorized cultivation groups for cannabis in Hesse. Despite the lengthy review process, no approvals have been granted by the ministry yet in Hesse, according to a representative.
