Members Of German Bundestag Travel To North America To Examine Cannabis Legalization
Eight members of the Bundestag’s Health Committee head to North America to educate themselves about how reform works in both California and Canada
A delegation of eight members of the Bundestag’s Health Committee have landed in North America to examine cannabis legalization as it is done in the US and Canada. The group will be there between September 10-17.
Cannabis legalization will, however, only be part of the discussion. The delegation will also look at how the different countries have dealt with the Pandemic, the healthcare of underprivileged people and digitalization efforts.
The delegation consists of members of the Greens, the CDU/CSU, the SPD, the FDP, Die Linke, and one member of the AfD.
A Coordinated Strategy to Move Forward on Legalization
The move comes as the Bavarian Health Minister and another CSU member of the Bundestag’s health committee have commissioned, and are now promoting, a report from (very conservative) Bundestag lawyers, saying that cannabis legalization will violate EU law.
It also comes as a new Ipsos poll shows that an amazing 61% of Germans surveyed believe that cannabis reform should be legal.
One thing is clear. It is not likely that the current government will shrink from its current course, no matter the political opposition.
The German Vanguard
Internationally, the move to full legalization in Germany, the world’s fourth largest economy, is going to have a knock-on effect just about everywhere – which includes countries far from Europe’s borders.
The reason is that those tasked with reform on a federal level are also grappling, both domestically, and with other countries now on the verge of the same, about how to create a carve-out for cannabis in both European and International law.
On one front this should be relatively easy as the EU has already ruled that CBD at least, is not a narcotic. This means that most of the EU is out of compliance with new EU policy on the same. It also shows a path to legalize higher THC flower.
However, with Germany, Malta and Luxembourg moving forward within the EU (plus Holland and presumably at least Portugal), this will create an international push to address much larger issues – including how to carve cannabis out of international drug control treaties.
There is no way this process is going to be fast enough for patients, recreational users or even the cannabis industry itself. But the good news is that the train has left the station, and there is no turning back.