From Reform to Reality: Germany’s Cannabis Policy in International Perspective

Following the general elections of February 2025, Germany’s approach to cannabis policy has once again gained political relevance. The decriminalisation of cannabis possession and the partial legalisation of its production through home cultivation and membership associations a year prior marked a significant – and controversial – step for domestic drug policy. Yet, implementation of these legal reforms has been uneven across the country’s different federal states, with these measures’ political future also appearing uncertain under the new government. One year after the reforms first took effect, it is high time to take stock. What impacts can be observed so far? What are the political and practical challenges of implementation? And what can Germany learn from international experiences with revised cannabis policies – such as those in Canada, South Africa, and Uruguay? At this GIGA Forum, international experts will reflect on the development of Germany’s cannabis reform in comparative perspective. Together, they will assess how international experiences can help to make sense of the key features of the regulatory design, preliminary outcomes, and what lies ahead in discussing especially what lessons may be relevant for policymakers in Germany from changes to cannabis policy already enacted elsewhere. 

Speakers: Dr. Jakob Manthey is a Researcher at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS) of the University of Hamburg.

Prof. Dr. María Del Rosario Queirolo Velasco is a Professor at the Universidad Católica del Uruguay.

Dr. Elle Wadsworth is a Research Fellow at the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath.

Dr. Simon Howell is a Research Fellow at the University of Cape Town.

Moderator:  Dr. Jonas von Hoffmann is a Research Fellow at the GIGA Institute for Latin American Studies.