Is Luxembourg the first European country to legalize cannabis?

Is Luxembourg the first country to legalize cannabis in Europe? Reports are circulating that the country of 600,000 people recently became the first country in Europe to legalize the production and use of cannabis. However, the news of this should be received with caution.

Despite growing movements for cannabis reform in Europe, many countries in the region are still slow to implement major changes and become fully legalized. This is in contrast to the image of many European countries of being relative to cannabis. Indeed, the so-called laissez-faire stance that countries like the Netherlands seem to have on cannabis contrasts with their lack of concrete action on cannabis laws.

On October 22nd, the Luxembourg government announced new proposals for cannabis laws that promise long-awaited reforms.

Here are some positive highlights from the new announcement:

• Adults over 18 are allowed to use cannabis
• Adults can grow up to four plants per household
• The trade in seeds is allowed with no limit on the THC content
• It will now be possible to buy seeds in stores, import them, or buy them online
• The domestic production of seeds for commercial purposes is also being planned

And here are some caveats that reveal holes in this plan:

• It is still illegal to use cannabis in public
• It is still illegal to transport cannabis or cannabis products in public
• Trade in cannabis or cannabis products other than seeds is still illegal, even if there is no monetary transaction
• If you have more than 3 grams of cannabis, you will be considered a dealer and will be billed as such

However, the new laws also weaken the fines. For example, possession and transport of up to 3 grams of cannabis is only classified as an offense and only results in fines between $ 29 and $ 581. Previously, the fine could be up to $ 2,910.

Has Luxembourg actually legalized cannabis?

It is important to note that although the law was introduced by the government and has strong support from the ruling coalition, it is still must be voted on in parliament. The possible outcome remains open, opposition parties such as the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV) are strongly negative.

CSV boss Claude Wiseler even named Canada’s legalization of cannabis not as an exemplary benchmark, but as a warning. He believes that legalization will make the black market even more resilient and that young people will increase their cannabis use. It is this author’s opinion that he does not have the evidence to support these claims.

In fact, many progressive lawmakers around the world view Canadian legalization as the benchmark for cannabis laws around the world. The question now is how to get governments to band together and actually implement meaningful reforms.

The bottom line: Luxemburg’s baby steps

In light of these reservations, It is inadvisable to skip the gun and say that Luxembourg is the first country in Europe to legalize weed. Even if the government’s reform proposals go through, much remains to be desired.

There were reports in 2019 that Luxembourg “legalized” cannabis, but as these events show, this is not yet the truth.

Should the government be commended for these small steps? Given their relatively progressive views on other matters, what is stopping European nations from legalizing them? Experts in Europe have argued that the difficulties in legalizing cannabis on the continent are due to a lack of direct democracy, although unfortunately there is still too little research into whether other factors play a role.

In other European countries, countries like Spain and Portugal have chosen the path of decriminalization, while countries like France and Germany still treat cannabis as an illegal substance with very arbitrary and discretionary enforcement. Citizens have no real way of knowing whether they will be slapped with a small fine, turned a blind eye, or be fully prosecuted.

In the face of these obstacles, support should be given to the initiatives of the Luxembourg government and legislators across Europe should be made responsible for responding to the voice of the people. For example, citizens of the Netherlands have repeatedly expressed their desire for reform, but the Dutch government is reluctant to give in to the status quo.

Europe is the next frontier for cannabis legalization, and how forward-thinking its governments are, could set the stage for a new wave of reforms in other parts of the world. Keep an eye out for developments in Luxembourg and stay up to date with the latest cannabis news by following @CLN.