Asserson Cannabis Group - Monthly News Digest

1 Feb 2022

The Case for Cannabis Legalisation Under Germany’s New Coalition

In a nutshell: 

In this bulletin, aided by third-party sources, the Asserson Cannabis Group has canvassed the leading economic, political and criminal law perspectives on the issue within Germany of the published plans to legalise recreational Cannabis.

As the most significant European economy with a GDP (nominal) of $4.3 trillion per year, Germany will generate $4.7 billion from the legalisation of recreational Cannabis alone.

The legalisation of medical Cannabis from March 2017 in Germany, and the procurement, control and delivery protocols used in the pharmaceutical industry, are likely to influence the recreational market.

ECONOMIC ARGUMENT:

• Legalising Cannabis carries an incredible financial incentive. A report conducted by the University of Düsseldorf estimates an annual amount of 400 tons of Cannabis to be consumed in Germany.
• That would result in a €4.7 billion contribution every year to the German economy: €1.8 billion from a “cannabis tax”, an additional €735 million from corporate, trade and sales tax, and €526 million in higher social security contributions.
• Thanks to the creation of an additional 27,600 jobs in the cannabis industry, there will be an increase of €280 million in income tax.
• With over 83 million inhabitants, Germany will become the EU’s most valuable recreational market, beyond its medical one.

SUPPLY CHAIN & LOGISTICS:

• The President of the German National Pharmacists’ Association, Tatjana Zambo, has argued that the pharmacy is optimal for dispensing recreational Cannabis.
• Other suggestions have included that tobacco stores, pharmacies and even coffee shops could sell recreational Cannabis – a model adopted in Amsterdam.

CRIMINAL LAW:

• The federal chairman of Germany’s BDK has voiced support for the complete legalisation of Cannabis consumers, arguing the current system stigmatises consumers.
• Even if studies forecast increased recreational consumption, legalisation would be rolled out alongside programmes to promote responsible drug use and protect children and young people.

POLITICAL ARENA:

• Merkel’s outgoing CDU party are a strong opponent of legalisation. CDU’s adviser on drug policy, Dr. Stephan Pilsinger, has accused the coalition of running an “experiment on the health of [the German] society and our young people.”
• With at least 3.1 million adult regular users in the past year, the government believes that legalisation will protect consumers from a product laced with harmful chemicals.
• Questions remain about the long-term effects of early exposure to Cannabis, and the impact on psychiatric conditions and dependency syndromes is undoubtedly hard to ignore.

Asserson Cannabis Group is proud to be working with Kanabo – the first Cannabis company to be listed on the London Stock Exchange

This article was written by: Gabriel Sapir, Trainee, Business Law