Will Germany’s move to legalize cannabis inspire the rest of Europe?

Germany is poised to become the largest country in Europe to legalize marijuana. It’s a decision that carries some weight considering they have the largest economy on the continent.

The Guardian spoke to several experts who gave their predictions of what could happen and its impact on the world.

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“There will certainly be a domino effect,” said Justin Haucap, director of the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics. “European countries that have a much bigger problem with illegal cannabis use, like France, are watching very closely what Germany is doing right now.”

Experts predict that Germany will make big money once cannabis is legalized. The country has an estimated demand of 400 tons of cannabis per year. This could mean that Germany could take in around €4.7 billion a year from taxes alone, while also saving significant sums as the country no longer wastes resources on prosecuting cannabis users.

If Germany were to legalize cannabis and start selling and trading the product like any other commodity, it would violate the United Nations’ 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. While the country would likely have to sidestep that ruling at first, some predict that legalizing Germany would prompt the UN to change it entirely.

“Theoretically, Germany could withdraw from the UN Single Convention and only rejoin certain parts of it. But I am quite optimistic that with the changes happening in Canada, the US and now Germany, we might also consider reforming the convention regarding the cannabis trade,” Haucap said.

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According to leading lawmakers, Germany wants to legalize cannabis in order to control the cannabis black market, eliminate sources of contaminated products and protect minors. It won’t be the first European country to legalize marijuana – that honor goes to Malta – but it’s a decision that will shake up its neighbors and the world at large. Surprisingly, even though the Netherlands has had a decades-old relaxed attitude toward marijuana use, the country still criminalizes its use, possession, and trafficking.