where are we elsewhere in Europe?

Since Monday, Germany is one of only three European countries to have legalized cannabis for recreational use.

Buying cannabis and smoking it without hiding is possible from Monday April 1 in Germany. The country has adopted one of the most liberal laws in Europe, even if there are restrictions: limited quantity, no more than 50 grams per month, ban on smoking near schools, ban for children under 18 years old… In Europe, only three countries have legalized so-called recreational cannabis. The phenomenon is quite recent: 2021 for Malta, 2023 for Luxembourg and now Germany. With, each time, restrictions in terms of quantity and visibility, or not, in public spaces.

Hard line in France, private consumption authorized in Spain and Portugal

In France, the line is hard. “Cannabis is cool, cocaine is chic”this is the social representation of drugs, Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy and Finance, recently said before a Senate commission of inquiry into drug trafficking. “The reality is that these are destructive poisons which contribute to the weakening of French society.” Possessing and consuming cannabis in France exposes you to the risk of a fine or even incarceration. The maximum penalty is one year in prison and a fine of 3,750 euros.

In Europe, the ban predominates but with very diverse sanctions, with up to 8 years in prison in Cyprus. In Spain, possessing, consuming and cultivating cannabis is permitted provided it is done in private. In Portugal, small-scale consumption is possible. It is therefore a question of decriminalization, but not of legalization. On the issue of medical cannabis, 21 of the 27 member states said yes. In France, where an experiment was carried out, its use is not yet legalized.