Luxembourg will become the first country in Europe to fully legalise the use & growth of Cannabis for adults. In a new law aimed at reducing black market crime and rising drug issues people over the age of 18 will be allowed to grow up to 4 plants at home. 

How will the new laws change Cannabis in Luxembourg?

The new laws are aimed at people being able to grow and smoke at home in private residence. The possession of cannabis in public will remain a punishable offence. You will no longer be arrested for having small amounts on your person. Noted as 3 grams or less you can still receive a fine anywhere from 25-500€. Any fines a person incurs will not result in a criminal record. Previously the same fines would have been anything from 250€ up to 2500€.

A vote in parliament is still required to get the new laws over the line. It is believed however that the majority are on board with the new look cannabis law. 

Getting the right people on board is set to help.

According to The Guardian, Justice minister Sam Tamson has said the change in law on domestic production and consumption is a first step forward. 

“We thought we had to act, we have an issue with drugs and cannabis is the drug that is most used and is a large part of the illegal market,” she said. 

“We want to start by allowing people to grow it at home. The idea is that a consumer is not in an illegal situation if he consumes cannabis and that we don’t support the whole illegal chain from production to transportation to selling where there is a lot of misery attached. We want to do everything we can to get more and more away from the illegal black market.” 

Luxembourg plan on doing things a bit differently from other countries with similar laws.

Unlike some other countries like Italy, where you can have cannabis with THC levels under 0.6%, users and growers in Luxembourg will not be restricted on the levels of THC in their plants. The only restriction facing adults doing a home grow is the number of plants they are allowed, which is 4.

It is being said that buying cannabis seeds in Luxembourg will be given the green light. Adults can purchase direct from shops in Luxembourg or order online and not incur any fines or legal issues. This is also the case should they import seeds into the country. 

As well as buying and trading seeds legally one aim is to open up the domestic production of weed seeds in Luxembourg. The idea is for commercial purposes. Plans for the larger commercial production have been halted since the covid pandemic. Plans to start this process again will be sooner rather than later. Maybe in a few years we will be seeing all the fire strains coming from Luxembourg. Will it be the new Netherlands or Spain? 

Luxembourg want to do more with Cannabis.

Luxembourg is taking the extra step forward; we have previously seen countries like The Netherlands have very relaxed laws towards cannabis. Though it is still technically illegal to grow any cannabis there. Luxembourg’s aim with this new law is to move the power away from the black market and back to the people.  

Etienne Schneider (Now Health Minister & Former Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg) recently encouraged other EU states to follow the changes Luxembourg are making towards cannabis and in a recent interview with Politicio he said: 

“The drug legislation we have been applying for 50 years has not worked,” said the health minister of Luxembourg, Etienne Schneider. “Prohibiting products has made them more attractive to young people. I’m hoping all of us [in the EU] will take a more open-minded attitude toward drugs.” 

Successes with medical cannabis is helping move the new laws forward.

Luxembourg had previously made cannabis use legal for medical reasons with positive results. They are citing the successes in Canada, Uruguay & USA following the change of rules and the added economic value it has with taxes going back to the countries. Taxes on cannabis products in these parts of the world are going towards drug education programs as well as schools and addiction recovery treatments. 

Uruguay became the first country in 2013 to legalise the drug. Canada then following s just 5 years after. The USA are now having more and more states with decriminalised or legal status. Luxembourg are hoping they can follow on with the great strides these places have taken in the positive forward movements with cannabis law and using taxes to improve the country. 

While you will be able to grow & smoke your own cannabis in Luxembourg at home, the supply and trade of cannabis itself will still be illegal. Whether it is selling the cannabis for a fee a free trade these acts will result in punishment by law. 

Will this have a knock on effect for the rest of Europe?

It remains illegal to germinate cannabis seeds in the UK and is also illegal to harvest any cannabis plants. This includes any CBD based plants with less than 0.3% THC unlike in some other countries. Being caught with Cannabis in the UK will result in potential imprisonment or fines. These fines are “Unlimited” and are determined on a case-by-case bases. There has however been what is seen as a relaxation on some of the cannabis laws. Most people caught in possession of small amounts of cannabis will likely get away with a small fine & dispossession of the cannabis instead of being sent to jail.

Do you think this will effect the rest of Europe? Will Countries like the UK follow these steps and make cannabis legal? Let us know what you think of this upcoming law change in the comments below.