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Smoking cannabis is now legal in Germany

152 points by gebt 3y ago

dns_snek 3y ago
Nice one, Germany! Is there anything blocking the rest of EU from legalizing cannabis in this manner, aside from internal (national) politics? Whenever this topic comes up in our country, it's always met with opposition claiming that it would be against the EU regulations, or international treaties, or some other external blocker that we can't control. These reasons sound like a stall tactic given that a few EU countries have managed legalization thus far, but I'm not familiar with the relevant laws. Do they have any legitimacy to them?
- yunohn 3y ago
  In my experience in Europe, the primary roadblock is the controlling moralistic conservatism exhibited by critics like those quoted in the article.
  - treprinum 3y ago
    How about the horrible smell produced by those who smoke? It's super reckless to expose others to negative side-effects by somebody who can't control themselves and must smoke.
    - resolutebat 3y ago
      Edibles don't smell.
      - oneeyedpigeon 3y ago
        Tbf, the parent did specify smoking. However, to your point, legalisation will clearly make it more likely that alternative, less-smelly consumption methods become popular than prohibition.
    - computerfriend 3y ago
      It is already illegal to smoke indoors in most of Germany.
    - dns_snek 3y ago
      I think it's reasonable to impose restrictions on "smell pollution", as much as it's reasonable to limit neighbors from playing loud music at night. The good news is that vaporization doesn't smell as much (or linger as long) while being nearly equivalent in effects, and edibles don't smell at all. I think users and non-users should be able to coexist peacefully by making a couple of compromises.
    - spqrr 3y ago
      Disturbing others with smells is already against the law. There have been cases of renters getting kicked out for bothering nighbors with tobacco smoke. Some amount of smell is just part of life. I also have so smell disgusting (to me) food sometimes. There are also restrictions where you can and can't smoke, like schools, playgrounds or sports fields.
    - rad_gruchalski 3y ago
      It’s also super annoying getting on a bus after you read statistics claiming that 15% didn’t wash their hands and we keep getting on the bus anyway. Newsflash. Not everyone who smokes „must smoke”. And trust me, in order to smoke responsibly you actually need a ton of self-control.
    - tgsovlerkhgsel 3y ago
      Do you find the smell of cigarettes less offensive? This is obviously a personal preference but personally I find that one much worse, and unlike with tobacco, I've never had to put my clothes in the laundry just because I stood next to a weed smoker for 5 minutes outdoors
      - ck425 3y ago
        Smoking indoors is illegal in most of the EU already. I personally find the smell of cannabis smoke lingers a lot longer than tobacco.
    - jjgreen 3y ago
      Quite right -- and ban Paco Rabanne
    - yunohn 3y ago
      > How about the horrible smoke produced by those who drive cars? It's super reckless to expose others to negative side-effects by somebody who can't control themselves and must drive alone on the highway back and forth to work.
  - Longhanks 3y ago
    Or the fact that a big portion of the population is not in favor of legalization. The new law in Germany is controversial, too, and chances are high that the next government (to be elected late 2025, which is most probably shifting towards the right) is going to change/revoke this law, as they have already announced.
- hkwerf 3y ago
  Technically, both compatibility with EU law and international law is yet to be decided, with the international law incompatibility already being pretty obvious. In Germany, the latter incompatibility is not immediately problematic. This may be different for other countries. The former may still manifest insofar as lawsuits will be brought forward. However, we're already pretty sure that the current change in law will require further tuning as issues become apparent. Still, you need to start somewhere.
  - qwytw 3y ago
    It's not like Germany is the first country in the EU to do this. Malta and Luxembourg had already legalized possession and cultivation and it's basically legal in Spain too. And "international law" seems like a joke at this point anyway (in general, but especially regarding weed). Canada went way further with no repercussions and more importantly the US which basically forced the 1988 Convention/treaty on the rest of the world is completely flaunting it itself.
- Wytwwww 3y ago
  Didn't Germany have a way, way more ambitious plan at the beginning, basically the Canadian model with fully legalized sales, dispensaries etc. only for it to get shot down by the EU? So they backed down and ended up with this halfbaked compromise..
  - geraldhh 3y ago
    someone surely had that plan, but most stoners are just astonished and glad that something got done
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
summarity 3y ago
> cultivate up to three marijuana plants at home I give it 3 microseconds until every single new rental contract / landlord prohibits this (and consumption). Also, here’s an article with slightly more info on limits and prohibited places: https://www.dw.com/en/berlin-celebrates-legal-cannabis-possession/a-68711348 https://www.dw.com/en/berlin-celebrates-legal-cannabis-posse...
- thih9 3y ago
  That sounds comparatively fine, breaking a rental contract seems not as bad as breaking possession laws.
- pinkgolem 3y ago
  Not sure if a landlord is able to dissalow this, as it does not damage the rental property i would be surprised if he is allowed to forbid it
  - 7bit 3y ago
    Landlords can't forbid smokingo they certsinly vannot forbid growing Marihuana plants.
    - porbelm 3y ago
      How high were you when you wrote this ;)
      - 7bit 2y ago
        Dear dog :D that happens when you write English with an Android Keyboard that tries to correct your words into German language
- exar0815 3y ago
  As renter protection in Germany is extremely high, and for example smoking or animals cannot be prohibited with a lot of difficulty, I don't see how that could be legal.
verisimi 3y ago
[flagged]
- yunohn 3y ago
  The article even has quotes from moralistic conservatives who would love to add more special words to cover their long list of sins.
- the_gipsy 3y ago
  We live in a society.
  - verisimi 3y ago
    [flagged]
    - RIMR 3y ago
      That's literally what the German government is doing. They are giving you back the choice, without the threat of punishment. I get that you're an anarchist or whatever, but repealing prohibition laws shouldn't be something you argue against just because you disagree with the concept of laws as a whole. That said, if you think that a lawless society would afford you any freedom, you are entirely mistaken.
      - verisimi 3y ago
        By what means does a government have the ability to a/ take choice away, b/ give it back? Is it a moral consensus, if it is backed by force? It's simply that the whole thing is an illusion agreed upon. Or rather, stumbled into, educated into, assumed! There's no agreed consensus. Is it ok to mislead people into false beliefs? > if you think that a lawless society would afford you any freedom, you are entirely mistaken. Why not? I could return the question, and ask, how do you think a lawbound state will give you freedom? Has it ever done anything other than bind individuals?
        3y ago
treprinum 3y ago
[flagged]
- GordonS 3y ago
  I think most people are moving to vaping, which produced much, much less smell. Plus, vapour doesn't "stick" to things and make them smell forever more like smoke does. Also, edibles are really popular these days.
  - fleischhauf 3y ago
    downside is, that people seem to think it's not smoking and start vaping inside. disgusting.
    - falcor84 3y ago
      I'd be opposed to legislating against anything just for being "disgusting"; there should be a stronger reason for us to limit each other's personal freedoms. In the specific case of vaping,I understand that secondhand "smoking" is still in issue, so that's the reason to legislate restrictions.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
    - scarygliders 3y ago
      Er, vaping is 100% NOT smoking. There is no fire/combustion involved when vaping. Vaping is when a liquid is heated up enough to turn it into a vapour. The same process as heating water enough turns it into steam. That's it. The liquid will have flavourings and nicotine added to it, meaning the vapour produced will deliver said flavourings and nicotine to the person inhaling it. The exhalation will contain remnants of that vapour along with just water vapour - most of the flavourings and nicotine will be absorbed by the person who inhaled it. I always get puzzled as to why people say they are /disgusted/ by vaping, or why they equate combustion based smoking with the non-combustion based conversion of a liquid into a vapour. Help me understand you. What part disgusts you about vaping? That you can see a cloud of water vapour being exhaled? Have you ever been out somewhere where a fog machine is being used? Congratulations, because the liquid used for the fog machines is mostly the same as used in vapes and also asthma inhalers. You might as well get "disgusted" by the fact that if you are in a room with another person, you'll inevitably be inhaling part of that other person's exhalation! I guess that's okay though, because their exhalation products aren't visible to you?
spqrr 3y ago
Consumption of all drugs is legal in Germany. The problem is buying/selling/production, as well as simple possession. I think this is the case in most countries.
- blueflow 3y ago
  This tiny detail makes the difference why employer-mandated drug tests are not a thing in Germany like it is in the US.
  - chimeracoder 3y ago
    > This tiny detail makes the difference why employer-mandated drug tests are not a thing in Germany like it is in the US. It doesn't explain the difference, no, since the same is true about the US. In most states, consumption of most drugs is not a crime - possession, production, distribution, sale, and trafficking are the actual crimes prosecuted.
    - basch 3y ago
      Nearly any amount of intoxication is vaguely illegal under disorderly conduct. It’s a catch all they can apply whenever. Fighting it and winning still costs time and money. So sure, the act of consuming might be legal, but having consumed isn’t.
      - gruez 3y ago
        >Nearly any amount of intoxication is vaguely illegal under disorderly conduct. Isn't that limited to public spaces? If you're getting high in private you should be fine?
        falcor84 3y ago
        As I understand it, the issue is only about showing up to work with any level of drugs in your system, even if there aren't any actual signs of you being intoxicated.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
oldpersonintx 3y ago
[dead]
odood 3y ago
I believe that overall the decision is a good one, there are no real good reasons why cannabis should be prohibited. At the same time, I strongly hope that the cannabis smokers will be considerate of the people around them. It is quite a foul smell if you are not partaking yourself.
- 0xEF 3y ago
  This is all I ask. I've never had an interest in weed, but I also don't think it should be illegal. After it was legalized in my state, I started second guessing my stance out of spite. I quickly got tired of not being able to do a chore like grocery shopping without having the store stink of weed because someone couldn't open a window while they baked in their car, or whatever. The commercial culture that sprung up is also annoying, with the amount of dispensary billboards rivaled only by billboards for personal injury lawyers. It's be one thing if it died down after the first year, but that the in-your-faceness of it persists is starting to feel more like an indoctrination. At least in my state, the cannabis community has revealed itself to be the annoying children they were stereotyped as, and that is just disappointing since I voted to legalize it.
  - tarsinge 3y ago
    What can we expect we billions are poured as investments? And worse and more dangerous than the commercial culture for me is the resulting aggressive push against any health questions, again I imagine due to huge financial interests. Unfortunately as always recently the debate has been binarized in pro or against camps. Plenty of things are legal and bad for you, that should be another debate.
  - beardedwizard 3y ago
    You mean they revealed themselves as bankrolled by big tobacco and use the same playbooks.
    - beardedwizard 3y ago
      Why is this comment downvoted? It is a fact that big tobacco bankrolls the cannabis industry and that is where the aforementioned money comes from. The genetics are all bought up, the land is all bought up, the industry is consolidating and it's impossible for mom and pop to sell cannabis. Every recreational market, including Canada, is a disaster.
tdudhhu 3y ago
While I think freedom is good, I also think there are more people destroying their lives with drugs than people who can regulate their use. I've seen so many people waste their life on weed and alcohol that I can't be very happy about this news.
- oneeyedpigeon 3y ago
  > there are more people destroying their lives with drugs than people who can regulate their use I agree with that for some drugs, but certainly not cannabis. That's observational; there are simply not enough reported cases of problems to make that true wrt cannabis use. Of course, that leaves the possibility that cases aren't reported. Again, based on personal observation, I would be amazed if the ratio of cannabis users that 'waste their life' on the drug is as high as the ratio of alcohol users that do the same. And that's before you even take into account the harm caused to others.
  - jokethrowaway 3y ago
    I think both are not addictive per se, so it's just people whose life is so bad they just want to tune out all the time. Alchol is more available so more people are alcholics. I think cannabis is preferable as it won't destroy your liver and there are ways (vaping, edible) to assume it without wrecking your lungs.
    - akdev1l 3y ago
      Alcohol is extremely addictive and once you are addicted it can cause such strong dependence that people can _die_ from quitting cold turkey.
- newsclues 3y ago
  People also waste their lives with TV and social media. Some people are just lazy
- dr_dshiv 3y ago
  I know you can’t see me, but it really enriched my life. I wish more people knew how to be a virtuous cannabis smoker — it takes some effort
robblbobbl 3y ago
Legolize it 8)
DonHopkins 3y ago
Oh I just can't wait for all the wunderbar cannabis strains to come out of Germany: Zwischenrauchgenusserlebnisgrünblattsorte (Inter-smoke-enjoyment-green-leaf-variety): Das ist für die Zwischendurch Raucher. Machst du happy ohne zu viel Trubel. Gutes Grünblatt! Wolkenkuckucksheimtraumwolkenpuff (Cloud-cuckoo-land-dream-cloud-puff):Dieses bringt dich hoch, hoch, bis zu den Wolken! Man träumt schön und fühlt sich wie im Märchenland. Glückseligkeitsgefühlsauslöserkraut (Happiness-feeling-trigger-weed): Einmal puffen und du bist im Glückseligkeits-Himmel. Alles fühlt sich super an. Gedankensprunghochflugblütezeit (Thought-leap-high-flight-blooming-time): Für die Kreativen Köpfe! Deine Gedanken machen Sprünge und fliegen hoch – Boom, Ideen überall! Entspannungswunderwirkungsgewächs (Relaxation-miracle-effect-plant): Mega Entspannung garantiert. Nach einem Zug, alles ist chillig. Wie ein Wunder! Lachanfallverursachendeswundergras (Giggle-fit-causing-wonder-grass): Vorsicht, Lachkrämpfe vorprogrammiert! Mit Freunden rauchen und der Spaß hört nicht auf. Seelenruhigbalsamblattgenussmittel (Soul-calm-balm-leaf-enjoyment-substance): Deine Seele wird super ruhig. Stress? Welcher Stress? Alles easy. Tiefenentspannungsnaturgenusserlebnis (Deep-relaxation-nature-enjoyment-experience): Bringt dich runter auf die Erde. Natur pur, tiefenentspannt und glücklich. Kreativitätsschubgrünblattinspiration (Creativity-boost-green-leaf-inspiration): Künstler? Musiker? Hier kommt deine Inspiration! Kreativitätsschub im Anflug. Wolkenreitertraumwiesengenusskraut (Cloud-rider-dream-meadow-enjoyment-weed): Fühl dich wie auf einer weichen Wiese, fliegend durch die Träume. Totaler Genuss!
- defrost 3y ago
  and, cross bred from the popular silicon valey strain; Relaxenundwatschenderblinkenlichten (Relax-watch-blinking-lights)
- shmeeed 3y ago
  Seems like somebody's a lover of our awful language! Made me laugh, thanks :)
jll29 3y ago
I watched other people smoke cannabis, and after producing some foul fumes, they were just passively lying on the floor with a stare of apathy. I decided to NEVER try this, and to this day I have no regrets; I enjoy being in full control of my senses (I also do not drink alcohol and do not smoke). The only thing hallucinating in my place is neural language models that I do research on. However, I do support the legalization of cannabis, as scientific evidence suggests that can reduce crime and reduce attractiveness of it as a kind of "forbidden fruit", and I think it'd be wrong to criminalize those people who were too curious for their own good. There also seem well-attested cases for medical use.
- jokethrowaway 3y ago
  It feels like you are describing fentanyl. You can do a lot of enjoyable things while high and you generally don't collapse to the ground when smoking weed. Cannabis is a tool, if you misuse it, you can waste your entire life - but it's heaps better than sugar or alchol, especially if you avoid smoking it (which destroys your lungs). Edibles or vapes are much better. If you use it well, it can be a good aid to relax and improve your quality of life - or maybe to endure a hard time in in your life. If it wasn't a hassle to buy it, I'd definitely vape some instead of drinking beer to relax.
  - Grimblewald 3y ago
    they could also be describing use of some of those synthetic 'weed' varieties that were floating around everywhere in the early 2000's which were just inert plant matter sprayed with some research chemical or another. Those had some pretty wild effects on folks.
  - Wytwwww 3y ago
    > better than sugar Maybe let's not get ahead of ourselves... sugar when consumed in moderation and with enough fiber/etc. is not really an issue. Also a lot depends on how you chose to consume cannabis if you're smoking it, it's no better than tobacco (besides that you're likely to do that way less frequently).
antfarm 3y ago
About time. Weed and hash being illegal has put a large portion of my generation (German Gen Xer here) on the wrong side of the law and gave us an unnecessary deep distrust in law enforcement of any kind.
- _ph_ 3y ago
  That is a very good point. The damages done to society by criminalizing something a lot of people consider a part of their life. Especially, as the harm is only on oneself.
- geraldhh 3y ago
  > wrong side of the law and gave us an unnecessary deep distrust in law enforcement of any kind. healthy skepticism seems in short supply thou
  - antfarm 3y ago
    Depends on the color of your skin.
    - nec4b 3y ago
      In Germany?
- 93po 3y ago
  > unnecessary deep distrust in law enforcement of any kind. it's definitely necessary, no one should talk to cops
  - Sammi 3y ago
    Talking to cops is not so dangerous in all countries. Many countries have cops that act reasonably. Are you from the US? I hear it can be dangerous to talk to cops there.
  - The_Colonel 3y ago
    You're not going to call cops if your car gets stolen or you get robbed / assaulted / raped? What's the alternative?
thinkingemote 3y ago
Meanwhile Thailand is rolling back it's legalisation of cannabis. Even though the industry brought in over a billion USD, it will be banned at the end of the year, citing protection of health of the youth. The population seems to approve of the reversal (medical use is kept). I think a few countries will be watching carefully after seeing how the experiment goes. Whilst the majority of users seem to be fine, it can absolutely and seriously ruin some people's mental health.
- Longhanks 3y ago
  Germany's largest party, the CDU/CSU union, has already announced that they intend to revoke the law ("make cannabis illegal again"). It is only a matter of time until they run the state again, and I'd say whether they actually work on the revocation depends on the junior political party they will need to form the government. For example, if in 2025 the CDU/CSU and SPD form the new goverment (a constellation that has happened already a few times), I'd say chances are high that cannabis is going to be illegal again. And this turnout is a relatively probable scenario.
- goykasi 3y ago
  This is the first that I am hearing about the reversal. I am a bit disappointed, but I did see news about the rollout. It was pretty intense and probably not much regulation. So, is this a reactionary response to minority issues or was there a consistent issue? > Whilst the majority of users seem to be fine, it can absolutely and seriously ruin some people's mental health. I never doubt that marijuana can negatively affect certain people with the potential for mental health issues, but are there any hard science about the affect on mental health? You mention "majority" vs "some". Is that 51/49? 99.99/.01? The former sounds significant; the latter sounds like a stat to push an agenda.
- drukenemo 3y ago
  Of course, it can affect people’s mental health if they consume too much of it. Lack of education and some people’s self-control were never a reason to make alcohol illegal.
franczesko 3y ago
I think the most important aspect of the ruling is not legalization, but depenalization.
Zetobal 3y ago
The worst part about it is that it will be harder to get hhc. For me suffering from bipolar hhc is a game changer no more benzos for sleep and no anxiety that thc might catapult me into mania.
Vaslo 3y ago
As a small l libertarian, I’m totally fine with any and all drugs being legal provided there is a clause that government doesn’t need to support you if they ruin your life.
- geraldhh 3y ago
  it's only ruined w/o the support; which usually is way cheaper than the alternatives. think "too big to fail"
- seabass-labrax 3y ago
  Without regard to the philisophical aspects of the extent of state welfare, such a clause would be unworkable. How could you fairly determine the cause of health issues? If one gets completely drunk, stumbles onto a road and is hit by a car, you could say that intoxication caused the accident. Would you refuse to treat that person's injuries - which are themselves nothing to do with alcohol - due to that? What about if there was a very bad unmarked pothole which caused the person to trip, a hazard that exists regardless of intoxication? All these questions could be resolved with litigation using many of the same processes that the courts already have. However, I would wager that the state would spend as much additional money on the judiciary as they would simply providing an unconditional paramedic service in the first place! This also applies to financial situations, because it's hard to, say, confidently ascribe the failure of someone's life savings on a supposedly poor choice they made while under the influence of a drug. I personally think it would be inhumane not to provide a safety net, but it would also be considerably cheaper to!
- npteljes 3y ago
  The government already takes care of many people who ruin their lives in different ways. Cannabis being a bit more legal doesn't change this. I suspect it even lowers the overall cost, as it lifts some burden off of law enforcement.
- DonHopkins 3y ago
  Then you should become a Big-R Republican if you already aren't -- they're all about punishing people for perceived moral failings by withholding health care and food and education.
carschno 3y ago
While scanning the comments, I observe one recurring argument against the step of legalizing weed: (excessive) use can and will have catastrophic psychological consequences on some of the consumers. I totally agree. It is, however a flawed argument in the context of legalization. One of the arguments for the legalization by the health ministry is that prohibition has been ineffective, factually not avoiding or even reducing (excess) weed consumption (among minors). Prohibition has criminalized many people for their consumption (via necessary circumstances such as possession), at the same time often denying help to those consumers who needed it. The goals of drug policy should be: - help consumers to avoid or treat harmful consumption, especially minors - do not criminalize adult citizens who do no harm to others Neither of these goals have been achieved by prohibition. Legalization is not going to help on the first point either, but might make it easier. In the context of the second point: prohibition has been a nasty vehicle for arbitrary, often racist policing. Given that prohibition is not realistically possible in full consequence, the inherent tools of criminalizing alleged drug users are often applied to specific groups only, often for racist motives. Throwing around cocaine at the company party of your startup will hardly be punished, whereas the immigrant neighbor ends up in jail for smoking a joint.
- georgeplusplus 3y ago
  My main issue since legalization is I find the smell disgusting. It also imbues and latches itself onto to whatever is around you. Now legalization has people smoking it in my apartment complex or at restaurants and the smell just lingers around my house or on your clothes when your near it. And then Every weed smoker I brought this up to told me tough luck.
  - Gigachad 3y ago
    Same problem with cigarette smoke though.
    - super256 3y ago
      Cigarettes only smell when being lit, marijuana smells always. And the smell is way more potent. Both suck though, I agree.
zug_zug 3y ago
Reading this thread there are clearly a lot of HN users who are fairly out-of-touch with weed. Which is totally fine, but in case you do decide at some point you want to try it here's what I'd throw out there for you: I think almost everybody can enjoy it, perhaps in the top 5% of safest drugs of all (cannot die from any amount, no interactions I know of, no hangover). I think it will replace alcohol as people learn to have a good time with it. - Start small. (.5mg THC : 1.5 CBD would be reasonable). - Start with higher ratios of CBD to THC to make sure you have a good time. Basically the amount of THC is the amount of trippiness/woah/anxiety and the CBD is the amount of calmness. Dispensaries will give consistent product, in terms of labeling the ratios and those ratios being correct. - Give 90-120 minutes for an edible to kick in. - If you're already an anxious person do it in a place you can feel totally comfortable and safe - Maybe have some pure CBD oil (purchasable at most grocery stores) to dial the whole thing back if it becomes too much. It won't make you sober, but it will help stop you mind from "racing" (whether from THC/anxiety/whatever). Also a great cure for headaches. - I don't recommend it if you're underage, or if your brain feels too haywire. I do recommend it for people who are overly-intense nerds who would join the CIA and find the world very black-and-white. - If you have a nice place where you can eat some healthy food, stretch outside in the sun, listen to birds, without fear of being bothered by cops / whatever, then that sounds like a great time. Maybe bring along a very trusted friend. It won't make you have a good time, but a lot of things you already enjoy will feel more enriching. - There's a bunch of other standard advice online too (hydrate, etc, all important). - Everybody reacts differently, don't let anybody else's preferences override your own. Do the amount you want of what you want, only when you want. Never push it onto people, even if you love it, and don't hang out with people who push. That above description is overpreparation for something that you might not even notice the first time you have it, but it's kind of like skiing, better to start slow -- if you've got time on your hands it's better to be patient -- otherwise it's entirely possible to have a bad time quickly (particularly for nerds, I find nerdier friends have like up to 10x the reaction to weed as non-nerdy friends).
- GaryNumanVevo 3y ago
  It's getting harder to find very small dosage weed in places where it's legal. There's an arms race to produce the most potent weed because it can be sold to the top 10% of weed buyers.
GaryNumanVevo 3y ago
I've lived in California, now Amsterdam. Both places where weed has been legal for a while, but because it's legal there's an incredible economic pressure to grow the most potent weed possible. I'm like a 2 joint a year kind of guy, and it's nearly impossible to find "ditch weed" that doesn't put me on the floor for 4 hours.
- tester89 3y ago
  Couldn’t you just smoke less?
  - Gud 3y ago
    Yes, that is the normal advice. I smoke so called shorties when I come home from work, I hate being too high but I do enjoy the relaxation weed brings. I've smoked CBD only strains recently and they do hit the spot as well.
- rad_gruchalski 3y ago
  The thing is… weed isn’t legal in The Netherlands: https://www.government.nl/topics/drugs/toleration-policy-regarding-soft-drugs-and-coffee-shops https://www.government.nl/topics/drugs/toleration-policy-reg.... It’s one massive grey area.
  - GaryNumanVevo 3y ago
    It might not translate for US folks, but the concept of "Gedoogbeleid" (loosely tolerance) applies here. Personal consumption of weed is decriminalized. Coffeeshops have strict rules they have to follow or the police will shut down their stores, this varies by town and region.
frank_bb 3y ago
[dead]
pabna 3y ago
anyone have any tips for smoking weed? I just got a new job and i really like it. trying to lose like 10 pounds and i think the weed is holding me back
- 93po 3y ago
  dont keep unhealthy food and snacks at home eat healthy before you smoke
amai 3y ago
"In Germany, smoking is widespread and is subject to very few and lax regulations compared to other countries in Europe." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_in_Germany https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_in_Germany) Making cannabis legal in Germany unfortunately will not help to improve this situation.

152 points by gebt 3y ago

Nice one, Germany! Is there anything blocking the rest of EU from legalizing cannabis in this manner, aside from internal (national) politics? Whenever this topic comes up in our country, it's always met with opposition claiming that it would be against the EU regulations, or international treaties, or some other external blocker that we can't control. These reasons sound like a stall tactic given that a few EU countries have managed legalization thus far, but I'm not familiar with the relevant laws. Do they have any legitimacy to them?

yunohn 3y ago
In my experience in Europe, the primary roadblock is the controlling moralistic conservatism exhibited by critics like those quoted in the article.
- treprinum 3y ago
  How about the horrible smell produced by those who smoke? It's super reckless to expose others to negative side-effects by somebody who can't control themselves and must smoke.
  - resolutebat 3y ago
    Edibles don't smell.
    - oneeyedpigeon 3y ago
      Tbf, the parent did specify smoking. However, to your point, legalisation will clearly make it more likely that alternative, less-smelly consumption methods become popular than prohibition.
  - computerfriend 3y ago
    It is already illegal to smoke indoors in most of Germany.
  - dns_snek 3y ago
    I think it's reasonable to impose restrictions on "smell pollution", as much as it's reasonable to limit neighbors from playing loud music at night. The good news is that vaporization doesn't smell as much (or linger as long) while being nearly equivalent in effects, and edibles don't smell at all. I think users and non-users should be able to coexist peacefully by making a couple of compromises.
  - spqrr 3y ago
    Disturbing others with smells is already against the law. There have been cases of renters getting kicked out for bothering nighbors with tobacco smoke. Some amount of smell is just part of life. I also have so smell disgusting (to me) food sometimes. There are also restrictions where you can and can't smoke, like schools, playgrounds or sports fields.
  - rad_gruchalski 3y ago
    It’s also super annoying getting on a bus after you read statistics claiming that 15% didn’t wash their hands and we keep getting on the bus anyway. Newsflash. Not everyone who smokes „must smoke”. And trust me, in order to smoke responsibly you actually need a ton of self-control.
  - tgsovlerkhgsel 3y ago
    Do you find the smell of cigarettes less offensive? This is obviously a personal preference but personally I find that one much worse, and unlike with tobacco, I've never had to put my clothes in the laundry just because I stood next to a weed smoker for 5 minutes outdoors
    - ck425 3y ago
      Smoking indoors is illegal in most of the EU already. I personally find the smell of cannabis smoke lingers a lot longer than tobacco.
  - jjgreen 3y ago
    Quite right -- and ban Paco Rabanne
  - yunohn 3y ago
    > How about the horrible smoke produced by those who drive cars? It's super reckless to expose others to negative side-effects by somebody who can't control themselves and must drive alone on the highway back and forth to work.
- Longhanks 3y ago
  Or the fact that a big portion of the population is not in favor of legalization. The new law in Germany is controversial, too, and chances are high that the next government (to be elected late 2025, which is most probably shifting towards the right) is going to change/revoke this law, as they have already announced.
hkwerf 3y ago
Technically, both compatibility with EU law and international law is yet to be decided, with the international law incompatibility already being pretty obvious. In Germany, the latter incompatibility is not immediately problematic. This may be different for other countries. The former may still manifest insofar as lawsuits will be brought forward. However, we're already pretty sure that the current change in law will require further tuning as issues become apparent. Still, you need to start somewhere.
- qwytw 3y ago
  It's not like Germany is the first country in the EU to do this. Malta and Luxembourg had already legalized possession and cultivation and it's basically legal in Spain too. And "international law" seems like a joke at this point anyway (in general, but especially regarding weed). Canada went way further with no repercussions and more importantly the US which basically forced the 1988 Convention/treaty on the rest of the world is completely flaunting it itself.
Wytwwww 3y ago
Didn't Germany have a way, way more ambitious plan at the beginning, basically the Canadian model with fully legalized sales, dispensaries etc. only for it to get shot down by the EU? So they backed down and ended up with this halfbaked compromise..
- geraldhh 3y ago
  someone surely had that plan, but most stoners are just astonished and glad that something got done
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

summarity 3y ago

> cultivate up to three marijuana plants at home I give it 3 microseconds until every single new rental contract / landlord prohibits this (and consumption). Also, here’s an article with slightly more info on limits and prohibited places: https://www.dw.com/en/berlin-celebrates-legal-cannabis-possession/a-68711348 https://www.dw.com/en/berlin-celebrates-legal-cannabis-posse...

thih9 3y ago
That sounds comparatively fine, breaking a rental contract seems not as bad as breaking possession laws.
pinkgolem 3y ago
Not sure if a landlord is able to dissalow this, as it does not damage the rental property i would be surprised if he is allowed to forbid it
- 7bit 3y ago
  Landlords can't forbid smokingo they certsinly vannot forbid growing Marihuana plants.
  - porbelm 3y ago
    How high were you when you wrote this ;)
    - 7bit 2y ago
      Dear dog :D that happens when you write English with an Android Keyboard that tries to correct your words into German language
exar0815 3y ago
As renter protection in Germany is extremely high, and for example smoking or animals cannot be prohibited with a lot of difficulty, I don't see how that could be legal.

verisimi 3y ago

[flagged]

yunohn 3y ago
The article even has quotes from moralistic conservatives who would love to add more special words to cover their long list of sins.
the_gipsy 3y ago
We live in a society.
- verisimi 3y ago
  [flagged]
  - RIMR 3y ago
    That's literally what the German government is doing. They are giving you back the choice, without the threat of punishment. I get that you're an anarchist or whatever, but repealing prohibition laws shouldn't be something you argue against just because you disagree with the concept of laws as a whole. That said, if you think that a lawless society would afford you any freedom, you are entirely mistaken.
    - verisimi 3y ago
      By what means does a government have the ability to a/ take choice away, b/ give it back? Is it a moral consensus, if it is backed by force? It's simply that the whole thing is an illusion agreed upon. Or rather, stumbled into, educated into, assumed! There's no agreed consensus. Is it ok to mislead people into false beliefs? > if you think that a lawless society would afford you any freedom, you are entirely mistaken. Why not? I could return the question, and ask, how do you think a lawbound state will give you freedom? Has it ever done anything other than bind individuals?
      - 3y ago

treprinum 3y ago

[flagged]

GordonS 3y ago
I think most people are moving to vaping, which produced much, much less smell. Plus, vapour doesn't "stick" to things and make them smell forever more like smoke does. Also, edibles are really popular these days.
- fleischhauf 3y ago
  downside is, that people seem to think it's not smoking and start vaping inside. disgusting.
  - falcor84 3y ago
    I'd be opposed to legislating against anything just for being "disgusting"; there should be a stronger reason for us to limit each other's personal freedoms. In the specific case of vaping,I understand that secondhand "smoking" is still in issue, so that's the reason to legislate restrictions.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - scarygliders 3y ago
    Er, vaping is 100% NOT smoking. There is no fire/combustion involved when vaping. Vaping is when a liquid is heated up enough to turn it into a vapour. The same process as heating water enough turns it into steam. That's it. The liquid will have flavourings and nicotine added to it, meaning the vapour produced will deliver said flavourings and nicotine to the person inhaling it. The exhalation will contain remnants of that vapour along with just water vapour - most of the flavourings and nicotine will be absorbed by the person who inhaled it. I always get puzzled as to why people say they are /disgusted/ by vaping, or why they equate combustion based smoking with the non-combustion based conversion of a liquid into a vapour. Help me understand you. What part disgusts you about vaping? That you can see a cloud of water vapour being exhaled? Have you ever been out somewhere where a fog machine is being used? Congratulations, because the liquid used for the fog machines is mostly the same as used in vapes and also asthma inhalers. You might as well get "disgusted" by the fact that if you are in a room with another person, you'll inevitably be inhaling part of that other person's exhalation! I guess that's okay though, because their exhalation products aren't visible to you?

spqrr 3y ago

Consumption of all drugs is legal in Germany. The problem is buying/selling/production, as well as simple possession. I think this is the case in most countries.

blueflow 3y ago
This tiny detail makes the difference why employer-mandated drug tests are not a thing in Germany like it is in the US.
- chimeracoder 3y ago
  > This tiny detail makes the difference why employer-mandated drug tests are not a thing in Germany like it is in the US. It doesn't explain the difference, no, since the same is true about the US. In most states, consumption of most drugs is not a crime - possession, production, distribution, sale, and trafficking are the actual crimes prosecuted.
  - basch 3y ago
    Nearly any amount of intoxication is vaguely illegal under disorderly conduct. It’s a catch all they can apply whenever. Fighting it and winning still costs time and money. So sure, the act of consuming might be legal, but having consumed isn’t.
    - gruez 3y ago
      >Nearly any amount of intoxication is vaguely illegal under disorderly conduct. Isn't that limited to public spaces? If you're getting high in private you should be fine?
      - falcor84 3y ago
        As I understand it, the issue is only about showing up to work with any level of drugs in your system, even if there aren't any actual signs of you being intoxicated.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

oldpersonintx 3y ago

[dead]

odood 3y ago

I believe that overall the decision is a good one, there are no real good reasons why cannabis should be prohibited. At the same time, I strongly hope that the cannabis smokers will be considerate of the people around them. It is quite a foul smell if you are not partaking yourself.

0xEF 3y ago
This is all I ask. I've never had an interest in weed, but I also don't think it should be illegal. After it was legalized in my state, I started second guessing my stance out of spite. I quickly got tired of not being able to do a chore like grocery shopping without having the store stink of weed because someone couldn't open a window while they baked in their car, or whatever. The commercial culture that sprung up is also annoying, with the amount of dispensary billboards rivaled only by billboards for personal injury lawyers. It's be one thing if it died down after the first year, but that the in-your-faceness of it persists is starting to feel more like an indoctrination. At least in my state, the cannabis community has revealed itself to be the annoying children they were stereotyped as, and that is just disappointing since I voted to legalize it.
- tarsinge 3y ago
  What can we expect we billions are poured as investments? And worse and more dangerous than the commercial culture for me is the resulting aggressive push against any health questions, again I imagine due to huge financial interests. Unfortunately as always recently the debate has been binarized in pro or against camps. Plenty of things are legal and bad for you, that should be another debate.
- beardedwizard 3y ago
  You mean they revealed themselves as bankrolled by big tobacco and use the same playbooks.
  - beardedwizard 3y ago
    Why is this comment downvoted? It is a fact that big tobacco bankrolls the cannabis industry and that is where the aforementioned money comes from. The genetics are all bought up, the land is all bought up, the industry is consolidating and it's impossible for mom and pop to sell cannabis. Every recreational market, including Canada, is a disaster.

tdudhhu 3y ago

While I think freedom is good, I also think there are more people destroying their lives with drugs than people who can regulate their use. I've seen so many people waste their life on weed and alcohol that I can't be very happy about this news.

oneeyedpigeon 3y ago
> there are more people destroying their lives with drugs than people who can regulate their use I agree with that for some drugs, but certainly not cannabis. That's observational; there are simply not enough reported cases of problems to make that true wrt cannabis use. Of course, that leaves the possibility that cases aren't reported. Again, based on personal observation, I would be amazed if the ratio of cannabis users that 'waste their life' on the drug is as high as the ratio of alcohol users that do the same. And that's before you even take into account the harm caused to others.
- jokethrowaway 3y ago
  I think both are not addictive per se, so it's just people whose life is so bad they just want to tune out all the time. Alchol is more available so more people are alcholics. I think cannabis is preferable as it won't destroy your liver and there are ways (vaping, edible) to assume it without wrecking your lungs.
  - akdev1l 3y ago
    Alcohol is extremely addictive and once you are addicted it can cause such strong dependence that people can _die_ from quitting cold turkey.
newsclues 3y ago
People also waste their lives with TV and social media. Some people are just lazy
dr_dshiv 3y ago
I know you can’t see me, but it really enriched my life. I wish more people knew how to be a virtuous cannabis smoker — it takes some effort

robblbobbl 3y ago

Legolize it 8)

DonHopkins 3y ago

Oh I just can't wait for all the wunderbar cannabis strains to come out of Germany: Zwischenrauchgenusserlebnisgrünblattsorte (Inter-smoke-enjoyment-green-leaf-variety): Das ist für die Zwischendurch Raucher. Machst du happy ohne zu viel Trubel. Gutes Grünblatt! Wolkenkuckucksheimtraumwolkenpuff (Cloud-cuckoo-land-dream-cloud-puff):Dieses bringt dich hoch, hoch, bis zu den Wolken! Man träumt schön und fühlt sich wie im Märchenland. Glückseligkeitsgefühlsauslöserkraut (Happiness-feeling-trigger-weed): Einmal puffen und du bist im Glückseligkeits-Himmel. Alles fühlt sich super an. Gedankensprunghochflugblütezeit (Thought-leap-high-flight-blooming-time): Für die Kreativen Köpfe! Deine Gedanken machen Sprünge und fliegen hoch – Boom, Ideen überall! Entspannungswunderwirkungsgewächs (Relaxation-miracle-effect-plant): Mega Entspannung garantiert. Nach einem Zug, alles ist chillig. Wie ein Wunder! Lachanfallverursachendeswundergras (Giggle-fit-causing-wonder-grass): Vorsicht, Lachkrämpfe vorprogrammiert! Mit Freunden rauchen und der Spaß hört nicht auf. Seelenruhigbalsamblattgenussmittel (Soul-calm-balm-leaf-enjoyment-substance): Deine Seele wird super ruhig. Stress? Welcher Stress? Alles easy. Tiefenentspannungsnaturgenusserlebnis (Deep-relaxation-nature-enjoyment-experience): Bringt dich runter auf die Erde. Natur pur, tiefenentspannt und glücklich. Kreativitätsschubgrünblattinspiration (Creativity-boost-green-leaf-inspiration): Künstler? Musiker? Hier kommt deine Inspiration! Kreativitätsschub im Anflug. Wolkenreitertraumwiesengenusskraut (Cloud-rider-dream-meadow-enjoyment-weed): Fühl dich wie auf einer weichen Wiese, fliegend durch die Träume. Totaler Genuss!

defrost 3y ago
and, cross bred from the popular silicon valey strain; Relaxenundwatschenderblinkenlichten (Relax-watch-blinking-lights)
shmeeed 3y ago
Seems like somebody's a lover of our awful language! Made me laugh, thanks :)

jll29 3y ago

I watched other people smoke cannabis, and after producing some foul fumes, they were just passively lying on the floor with a stare of apathy. I decided to NEVER try this, and to this day I have no regrets; I enjoy being in full control of my senses (I also do not drink alcohol and do not smoke). The only thing hallucinating in my place is neural language models that I do research on. However, I do support the legalization of cannabis, as scientific evidence suggests that can reduce crime and reduce attractiveness of it as a kind of "forbidden fruit", and I think it'd be wrong to criminalize those people who were too curious for their own good. There also seem well-attested cases for medical use.

jokethrowaway 3y ago
It feels like you are describing fentanyl. You can do a lot of enjoyable things while high and you generally don't collapse to the ground when smoking weed. Cannabis is a tool, if you misuse it, you can waste your entire life - but it's heaps better than sugar or alchol, especially if you avoid smoking it (which destroys your lungs). Edibles or vapes are much better. If you use it well, it can be a good aid to relax and improve your quality of life - or maybe to endure a hard time in in your life. If it wasn't a hassle to buy it, I'd definitely vape some instead of drinking beer to relax.
- Grimblewald 3y ago
  they could also be describing use of some of those synthetic 'weed' varieties that were floating around everywhere in the early 2000's which were just inert plant matter sprayed with some research chemical or another. Those had some pretty wild effects on folks.
- Wytwwww 3y ago
  > better than sugar Maybe let's not get ahead of ourselves... sugar when consumed in moderation and with enough fiber/etc. is not really an issue. Also a lot depends on how you chose to consume cannabis if you're smoking it, it's no better than tobacco (besides that you're likely to do that way less frequently).

antfarm 3y ago

About time. Weed and hash being illegal has put a large portion of my generation (German Gen Xer here) on the wrong side of the law and gave us an unnecessary deep distrust in law enforcement of any kind.

_ph_ 3y ago
That is a very good point. The damages done to society by criminalizing something a lot of people consider a part of their life. Especially, as the harm is only on oneself.
geraldhh 3y ago
> wrong side of the law and gave us an unnecessary deep distrust in law enforcement of any kind. healthy skepticism seems in short supply thou
- antfarm 3y ago
  Depends on the color of your skin.
  - nec4b 3y ago
    In Germany?
93po 3y ago
> unnecessary deep distrust in law enforcement of any kind. it's definitely necessary, no one should talk to cops
- Sammi 3y ago
  Talking to cops is not so dangerous in all countries. Many countries have cops that act reasonably. Are you from the US? I hear it can be dangerous to talk to cops there.
- The_Colonel 3y ago
  You're not going to call cops if your car gets stolen or you get robbed / assaulted / raped? What's the alternative?

thinkingemote 3y ago

Meanwhile Thailand is rolling back it's legalisation of cannabis. Even though the industry brought in over a billion USD, it will be banned at the end of the year, citing protection of health of the youth. The population seems to approve of the reversal (medical use is kept). I think a few countries will be watching carefully after seeing how the experiment goes. Whilst the majority of users seem to be fine, it can absolutely and seriously ruin some people's mental health.

Longhanks 3y ago
Germany's largest party, the CDU/CSU union, has already announced that they intend to revoke the law ("make cannabis illegal again"). It is only a matter of time until they run the state again, and I'd say whether they actually work on the revocation depends on the junior political party they will need to form the government. For example, if in 2025 the CDU/CSU and SPD form the new goverment (a constellation that has happened already a few times), I'd say chances are high that cannabis is going to be illegal again. And this turnout is a relatively probable scenario.
goykasi 3y ago
This is the first that I am hearing about the reversal. I am a bit disappointed, but I did see news about the rollout. It was pretty intense and probably not much regulation. So, is this a reactionary response to minority issues or was there a consistent issue? > Whilst the majority of users seem to be fine, it can absolutely and seriously ruin some people's mental health. I never doubt that marijuana can negatively affect certain people with the potential for mental health issues, but are there any hard science about the affect on mental health? You mention "majority" vs "some". Is that 51/49? 99.99/.01? The former sounds significant; the latter sounds like a stat to push an agenda.
drukenemo 3y ago
Of course, it can affect people’s mental health if they consume too much of it. Lack of education and some people’s self-control were never a reason to make alcohol illegal.

franczesko 3y ago

I think the most important aspect of the ruling is not legalization, but depenalization.

Zetobal 3y ago

The worst part about it is that it will be harder to get hhc. For me suffering from bipolar hhc is a game changer no more benzos for sleep and no anxiety that thc might catapult me into mania.

Vaslo 3y ago

As a small l libertarian, I’m totally fine with any and all drugs being legal provided there is a clause that government doesn’t need to support you if they ruin your life.

geraldhh 3y ago
it's only ruined w/o the support; which usually is way cheaper than the alternatives. think "too big to fail"
seabass-labrax 3y ago
Without regard to the philisophical aspects of the extent of state welfare, such a clause would be unworkable. How could you fairly determine the cause of health issues? If one gets completely drunk, stumbles onto a road and is hit by a car, you could say that intoxication caused the accident. Would you refuse to treat that person's injuries - which are themselves nothing to do with alcohol - due to that? What about if there was a very bad unmarked pothole which caused the person to trip, a hazard that exists regardless of intoxication? All these questions could be resolved with litigation using many of the same processes that the courts already have. However, I would wager that the state would spend as much additional money on the judiciary as they would simply providing an unconditional paramedic service in the first place! This also applies to financial situations, because it's hard to, say, confidently ascribe the failure of someone's life savings on a supposedly poor choice they made while under the influence of a drug. I personally think it would be inhumane not to provide a safety net, but it would also be considerably cheaper to!
npteljes 3y ago
The government already takes care of many people who ruin their lives in different ways. Cannabis being a bit more legal doesn't change this. I suspect it even lowers the overall cost, as it lifts some burden off of law enforcement.
DonHopkins 3y ago
Then you should become a Big-R Republican if you already aren't -- they're all about punishing people for perceived moral failings by withholding health care and food and education.

carschno 3y ago

While scanning the comments, I observe one recurring argument against the step of legalizing weed: (excessive) use can and will have catastrophic psychological consequences on some of the consumers. I totally agree. It is, however a flawed argument in the context of legalization. One of the arguments for the legalization by the health ministry is that prohibition has been ineffective, factually not avoiding or even reducing (excess) weed consumption (among minors). Prohibition has criminalized many people for their consumption (via necessary circumstances such as possession), at the same time often denying help to those consumers who needed it. The goals of drug policy should be: - help consumers to avoid or treat harmful consumption, especially minors - do not criminalize adult citizens who do no harm to others Neither of these goals have been achieved by prohibition. Legalization is not going to help on the first point either, but might make it easier. In the context of the second point: prohibition has been a nasty vehicle for arbitrary, often racist policing. Given that prohibition is not realistically possible in full consequence, the inherent tools of criminalizing alleged drug users are often applied to specific groups only, often for racist motives. Throwing around cocaine at the company party of your startup will hardly be punished, whereas the immigrant neighbor ends up in jail for smoking a joint.

georgeplusplus 3y ago
My main issue since legalization is I find the smell disgusting. It also imbues and latches itself onto to whatever is around you. Now legalization has people smoking it in my apartment complex or at restaurants and the smell just lingers around my house or on your clothes when your near it. And then Every weed smoker I brought this up to told me tough luck.
- Gigachad 3y ago
  Same problem with cigarette smoke though.
  - super256 3y ago
    Cigarettes only smell when being lit, marijuana smells always. And the smell is way more potent. Both suck though, I agree.

zug_zug 3y ago

Reading this thread there are clearly a lot of HN users who are fairly out-of-touch with weed. Which is totally fine, but in case you do decide at some point you want to try it here's what I'd throw out there for you: I think almost everybody can enjoy it, perhaps in the top 5% of safest drugs of all (cannot die from any amount, no interactions I know of, no hangover). I think it will replace alcohol as people learn to have a good time with it. - Start small. (.5mg THC : 1.5 CBD would be reasonable). - Start with higher ratios of CBD to THC to make sure you have a good time. Basically the amount of THC is the amount of trippiness/woah/anxiety and the CBD is the amount of calmness. Dispensaries will give consistent product, in terms of labeling the ratios and those ratios being correct. - Give 90-120 minutes for an edible to kick in. - If you're already an anxious person do it in a place you can feel totally comfortable and safe - Maybe have some pure CBD oil (purchasable at most grocery stores) to dial the whole thing back if it becomes too much. It won't make you sober, but it will help stop you mind from "racing" (whether from THC/anxiety/whatever). Also a great cure for headaches. - I don't recommend it if you're underage, or if your brain feels too haywire. I do recommend it for people who are overly-intense nerds who would join the CIA and find the world very black-and-white. - If you have a nice place where you can eat some healthy food, stretch outside in the sun, listen to birds, without fear of being bothered by cops / whatever, then that sounds like a great time. Maybe bring along a very trusted friend. It won't make you have a good time, but a lot of things you already enjoy will feel more enriching. - There's a bunch of other standard advice online too (hydrate, etc, all important). - Everybody reacts differently, don't let anybody else's preferences override your own. Do the amount you want of what you want, only when you want. Never push it onto people, even if you love it, and don't hang out with people who push. That above description is overpreparation for something that you might not even notice the first time you have it, but it's kind of like skiing, better to start slow -- if you've got time on your hands it's better to be patient -- otherwise it's entirely possible to have a bad time quickly (particularly for nerds, I find nerdier friends have like up to 10x the reaction to weed as non-nerdy friends).

GaryNumanVevo 3y ago
It's getting harder to find very small dosage weed in places where it's legal. There's an arms race to produce the most potent weed because it can be sold to the top 10% of weed buyers.

GaryNumanVevo 3y ago

I've lived in California, now Amsterdam. Both places where weed has been legal for a while, but because it's legal there's an incredible economic pressure to grow the most potent weed possible. I'm like a 2 joint a year kind of guy, and it's nearly impossible to find "ditch weed" that doesn't put me on the floor for 4 hours.

tester89 3y ago
Couldn’t you just smoke less?
- Gud 3y ago
  Yes, that is the normal advice. I smoke so called shorties when I come home from work, I hate being too high but I do enjoy the relaxation weed brings. I've smoked CBD only strains recently and they do hit the spot as well.
rad_gruchalski 3y ago
The thing is… weed isn’t legal in The Netherlands: https://www.government.nl/topics/drugs/toleration-policy-regarding-soft-drugs-and-coffee-shops https://www.government.nl/topics/drugs/toleration-policy-reg.... It’s one massive grey area.
- GaryNumanVevo 3y ago
  It might not translate for US folks, but the concept of "Gedoogbeleid" (loosely tolerance) applies here. Personal consumption of weed is decriminalized. Coffeeshops have strict rules they have to follow or the police will shut down their stores, this varies by town and region.

frank_bb 3y ago

[dead]

pabna 3y ago

anyone have any tips for smoking weed? I just got a new job and i really like it. trying to lose like 10 pounds and i think the weed is holding me back

93po 3y ago
dont keep unhealthy food and snacks at home eat healthy before you smoke

amai 3y ago

"In Germany, smoking is widespread and is subject to very few and lax regulations compared to other countries in Europe." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_in_Germany https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_in_Germany) Making cannabis legal in Germany unfortunately will not help to improve this situation.