Hemp Liberalization Act. Better Late than Never. CBD in Germany 2024.

The EU has been actively promoting the cultivation of industrial hemp for 20 years through grants and subsidises but in Germany cultivation has decreased. In the draft version of Germany’s ‘The Hemp Liberalisation Act’ this decrease in hemp cultivation is put down to three major reasons: economic, beaurocratic and legal.

Violent prosecutions were the primary cause of hemp products and hemp cultivation decreasing in Germany.

Green Pioneers

Another blog “Green Pioneers – Bankrupted By Prosecutions” is taken from a German newspaper showing the trauma faced by hemp entrepreneurs in Germany. After reading this article it becomes quite clear how severely the industry was targeted by police. The draft ‘Hemp Liberalisation Act’ has been designed to stop situations such as Green Pioneers from happening again – even if its too late for them. Neighbouring France, Lithuania and Poland, to name just a few have accepted EU assistance and expanded the acreage of industrial hemp. Germany’s production of hemp meanwhile, is at a significant low.

Intoxication Clause to be Removed

The Hemp Liberalisation Act will delete ” the intoxication clause” a clause which has crushed the hemp industry. This clause has single-handedly allowed authorities to close down hundreds, possibly thousands of hemp and hemp related businesses across Germany over the last few years.

Hemp Liberalisation Act:

B. SOLUTION.

“The plan will in particular delete the so-called abuse clause and eliminate the associated legal uncertainty when dealing with industrial hemp.” (1)

Better Late Than Never

Even though this is a welcome political innitiative which brings justice to CBD prosecutions, it can be fairly asked why this innitiative wasn’t taken ten years ago when the problem was first noticed. Had politicians done their job, read the EU case law on hemp, the terrible situation we’ve seen across Germany, violent arrests, property seizures and imprisonments, wouldn’t have happened. Finally it seems EU hemp law is coming to Germany.

Prosecutors Put on Notice – Time is Running Out.

Finally the Hemp Liberalisation Act has been drafted. It will be adapted and tweaked a little before it becomes law, early in 2025. It’s better to arrive late than never of course and these laws will bring justice to hemp prosecutions. The Hemp Liberalisation Act sends another message to prosecutors – that time is running out – that the unnecessary and highly damaging campaign to prosecute hemp is coming to an end.

Prosecutions Continue

Police continue to prosecute hemp because the ‘Hemp Liberalisation Act’ has not passed into law yet. Even though politicians have made their intention quite clear, prosecutors ignore this.

Aims of Politicians Disregarded

It would be assumed prosecutors would be guided by the will of politicians and stand down on prosecutions. But no – hemp prosecutions are continuing, despite the new law soon coming to be. This means hundreds more people will have their property confiscated, will be fined and treated as criminals – until the new law is passed early 2025. Perhaps there will be a happy ending to an otherwise sad tale of hemp and CBD in Germany 2024.