Is Weed Getting Legalised In Germany

Is Weed Getting Legalised In Germany? The answer is no. Recreational weed use is currently illegal in Germany. Medicinal weed has been prescribed since 2017 to help patients with pain, but its sale is strictly controlled, with just licenced chemists permitted to sell it.

Germany formed a three-party coalition government in 2021, and they have proposed to legalise weed (also known as cannabis or marijuana) for recreational use. The government met in mid-2022 with 200 addiction experts and doctors to debate permitting recreational weed use in late 2022. Under this proposal, people could buy weed from licenced shops rather than street dealers.

The various parties that comprise the coalition have different opinions concerning legalisation, and some are more liberal than others. The alliance have agreed on one thing: If recreational weed is decriminalised, they will review the social impact, and the quality of the product, in four years.

The coalition also agrees that they need to protect young people from the potential pitfalls of weed misuse. They suggest that only those aged 21 and over can buy it, and licenced shops must be a safe distance from schools.

Weed comes in over 400 strengths or ‘strains’ with some being very potent and dangerous to people’s mental and physical health. The government have agreed to regulate the strains to protect people.

 

Is Weed Illegal In Germany?

Using weed for personal use, also known as ‘recreational use’, is illegal in Germany. People often smoke it in parks, cafes and bars, with many people turning a blind eye. In Berlin, it’s tolerated, but it’s still against the law.

Medicinal weed use has been legal since 2017, but only via a prescription. It’s also illegal to grow cannabis in Germany for personal use or selling to others.

 

What Is CBD?

CBD (cannabidiol) is a naturally occurring chemical found in the hemp section of the cannabis Sativa plant. The cannabis plant also contains THC, the powerful compound that produces the relaxed and sometimes giddy feelings that many associate with weed. CBD affects the brain in a very different way than THC, with many people reporting a purely peaceful feeling after using CBD.

Reports say that CBD effectively treats:

-Seizures and epilepsy

-Anxiety

-Pain

-Parkinsons disease

-Crohns disease

-Dystonia (a muscle disorder)

 

Is CBD Legal?

It’s legal to sell and use CBD products in many countries around the world, including Germany, and it’s in products ranging from oils, tablets, bath and body products, and drinks. CBT products have to contain less than 0.2% of THC. Anything over that is illegal. Supermarkets and health food shops all over Germany sell at least one CBD product, so its use is going mainstream.

CBD is also found in ‘edibles’, the loose collective name for any chewable product containing CBD. Edibles include chewy or ‘gummy’ sweets, hard sweets, chocolate, biscuits, and cakes.

Cannabis seeds are legal in Germany, but they aren’t designed for ‘unauthorised cultivation’, meaning you’re not allowed to grow them at home. This doesn’t stop people from buying the seeds, and many have done so via the internet.

 

In Which Countries Is Cannabis Legal?

Regarding recreational use, Malta is the only European country where recreational cannabis use, and growth, is legal.

Countries where you can safely smoke weed without prosecution include Canada, Georgia, South Africa, Mexico, Thailand and Uruguay. Cannabis use is legal in 19 states in the USA and just one territory in Australia, the Australian Capital Territory.

 

How Does Cannabis Make You Feel?

People smoke cannabis in a ‘joint’, much like a cigarette, containing a mix of cannabis and tobacco. It can also be inhaled using a bong and eaten or drunk as part of an edible. People sometimes add cannabis to cakes, teas, brownies and yogurt, and you can buy cannabis sweets and lollypops.

The effects of cannabis vary wildly from person to person. Many people report feeling relaxed and happy, commonly known as feeling’ stoned.’ Others get the giggles. But the downside is that it can make people anxious, paranoid and lethargic.

As mentioned earlier, cannabis comes in around 400 different strengths, some containing high levels of THC, which has a hallucinogenic effect. People who use high-strength cannabis such as skunk, are more likely to feel the effects.

Some people eat more when they use cannabis, as it makes them feel hungry. Others feel sick, faint, and unsteady, a condition commonly known as a ‘whitey.’ They will often be sick, and not know where they are.

 

Mental Health Risks Of Cannabis

Unfortunately, some people don’t react well to cannabis. If people consume too much, they can feel anxious, paranoid, demotivated, confused and lethargic.

How a person reacts to cannabis depends on their mental health. If someone already has a pre-existing condition such as anxiety or depression, using cannabis can make them feel worse. The drug also increases the risk of people getting schizophrenia or becoming psychotic, especially if there is a family history of schizophrenia or psychosis.

Cannabis also affects people’s judgement, leading them into dangerous situations. It can also cause hallucinations – some of which can be pleasant, for others terrifying and disturbing. Hallucinations can sometimes last for hours or even days. Whilst cannabis is a known relaxant, for some people, the relaxing effects can go too far, making them unmotivated and unable to concentrate or remember information. Cannabis also disrupts sleep patterns.

 

Cannabis Impacts Physical Health

As well as causing a myriad of mental health problems, cannabis can impact people’s physical health – but not in a good way. Weed can make you cough uncontrollably and wheezy and breathless. If you have asthma, smoking cannabis will make your condition worse.

Cannabis also increases the risk of lung cancer, reduces male sperm count, suppresses a woman’s ovulation, and raises heart rate and blood pressure.

 

Get Help For Cannabis Addiction

At Step One Recovery, we’re experts in treating cannabis addiction. We offer private, residential rehab to help you get off drugs and live a happy and healthy life.

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