As London’s nightlife dwindles under the Tory rule, Berlin has become somewhat of a utopia for creatives, queers and young clubbers. Now, in another progressive move, the German capital is about to trial a legal marijuana scheme in the city.
The city’s new pilot scheme comes from the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Left Party, who have all reportedly come together to call for a science-based and monitored approach to “controlled distribution of cannabis.”
“The legal code is decided at the federal level, and this is about a local attempt to try to do things differently,” Max Plenert of the German Hemp Association told Deutsche Welle. “The state of Berlin has far broader possibilities than a city district in terms of setting up a pilot project. We can make a far more powerful appeal for an exception.”
Currently, possession of cannabis is illegal in Germany, but those found with less than 15g are not prosecuted. However, Berlin is one of 16 federal states in the country with the authority to introduce its own laws. The city would be following in the footsteps of US states like Nevada, California, and Massachusetts, who all voted to legalise the drug during the election last week.
“This is a pilot project with limits. It’s an attempt to advance the discussion about how things could be different,” added Plenert. “It won’t have a massive effect on the market for drugs as a whole. But as with other pilot projects concerning drugs, it’s a chance to show politicians and the press that the topic isn’t such a big deal. And that could kick-start larger changes.”
