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Testing Cannabis Sales in Retail Outlets: Frankfurt and Hanover Initiatives

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Hanover and Frankfurt am Main are initiating a pilot project to legally sell cannabis starting in early 2025. This venture, supported by local universities, aims to establish controlled dispensaries with up to three sales points in Hanover. Approximately 4,000 registered individuals aged 18 and older will participate in a five-year study to monitor consumption patterns and health impacts. This project seeks to address rising drug use and reduce the black market while ensuring the protection of minors.

Hanover and Frankfurt am Main are set to become the first cities in Germany to experiment with controlled cannabis sales through a pilot project, slated to begin in early 2025. This initiative will be conducted in collaboration with two universities.

In recent months, the consumption and growth of cannabis have seen partial legalization in Germany. Now, with the introduction of special dispensaries, Hanover and Frankfurt aim to manage the sale of cannabis responsibly.

Hanover plans to establish up to three sales outlets, with the Hannover Medical School conducting a comprehensive scientific study involving around 4,000 participants. This pilot program will span five years and is open to legal adults residing in Hanover who agree to engage in ongoing scientific surveys.

Participants will receive a coded ID card, allowing them to purchase cannabis from designated outlets. This ID card, along with a QR code on the product packaging, will ensure compliance with the legal quantity regulations. Any individual found distributing these products to others will be immediately disqualified from the project.

Those detected with 3.5 nanograms or more of THC in their bloodstream will face penalties, as determined by the federal legislature.

Consumer Support and Training

Sales are anticipated to commence in early 2025. Personnel at these outlets will undergo specialized training to offer guidance to consumers. Staff members will also be equipped to intervene if they notice any concerning consumer behaviors that may lead to addiction.

“We aim to address societal realities,” stated Belit Onay, Hanover’s Lord Mayor. “The rising number of drug users across all age groups in Germany indicates that prohibitions have limited effectiveness. Moreover, there are substantial health risks associated with increasing THC levels and contaminants found in black-market cannabis products.”

The cannabis event ‘Cannafair’ is returning for its fourth iteration, marking the first time it follows partial legalization.

Parallel Efforts in Frankfurt am Main

Frankfurt am Main is also embarking on a similar pilot initiative, allowing registered participants to legally acquire cannabis flowers and THC-based products from specially designated retailers for five years. All participants must be legal adults, residents of Frankfurt, healthy, and receptive to regular interviews and health assessments. Certain groups, including pregnant or breastfeeding women, individuals with mental health issues, and minors, will be prohibited from participating.

The medical aspect of the study will be overseen by a professional, with Prof. Dr. Heino Stöver from the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences leading the scientific evaluation.

Combatting the Black Market

These studies aim to analyze consumer behaviors, health impacts, youth protection, and the dynamics of the black market. Both cities hope that the initiative will strengthen protections for minors and reduce illegal trade.

“Our primary focus is on gathering scientific data,” expressed Sylvia Bruns from the Hannover social affairs department. The findings will help illuminate the effects of legalized sales and consumption patterns: “We want to base our actions on facts rather than assumptions and ideology,” Bruns emphasized. Professor Kirsten Müller-Vahl from the Hannover Medical School stated that the study’s data could significantly inform future drug policy development.

According to city officials, a comparable trial occurred in Wiesbaden, although cannabis is sold only in selected pharmacies there.

The pilot project will see collaboration between both cities and the Berlin-based firm Sanity Group, which specializes in medical cannabis. The company has already been running two dispensaries as part of a similar study in Switzerland since late 2023 and conducted inspections on the black market cannabis in 30 German cities, including Hanover.

Despite the passage of the cannabis law, several concerns remain, particularly regarding regulatory clarity for specialized stores.

Partial Legalization Since April

As of April 1, adults in Germany can carry up to 25 grams of cannabis publicly and store up to 50 grams at home under the new cannabis legislation. However, consumption remains banned in the presence of minors, at schools, playgrounds, and sports facilities.

Since July 1, approved cannabis cultivation associations have been permitted for communal growing and distribution. Members aged 21 and older can access up to 25 grams of cannabis daily and up to 50 grams monthly for personal use. The first permit in Lower Saxony was awarded to an association in Ganderkesee on July 8.

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