Hamburg's cannabis clubs are taking off: cultivation is now official!

Hamburg's cannabis clubs are taking off: cultivation is now official!

Around a year after the partial legalization of cannabis cultivation in Germany, ten associations in Hamburg are now starting cultivation. The first harvests are announced for the end of June to August 2024, which is fueling enthusiasm among club members. What is particularly interesting is that two of the Hamburg clubs have their premises in Lower Saxony and one in Schleswig-Holstein. However, the Altona district office, which is responsible for permits in Hamburg, cannot provide any information on the amount of cannabis harvested for data protection reasons, as the Borkener Zeitung reports.

A total of 22 growing associations have applied for approval. For the first two clubs that have already received permits, operations are a new challenge. The “High End Social Club” was the first establishment to be licensed in October and began distributing cannabis to its members in February. In addition, from July 1, 2024, non-commercial cultivation associations with up to 500 members can receive a license, which could give clubs in Hamburg access to a broad membership.

The new cannabis landscape in Hamburg

The “Hansa Cannabis Club”, founded by Christian Krüger and Christopher Schultz, already has around 250 members and is aiming for a maximum permitted number of 500 members. Those interested pay a monthly contribution of 20 euros. The club plans to build a “grow facility” in Schleswig-Holstein, although they are currently still waiting for the cultivation permit. However, as the taz reports, they received their approval application with change requests, which delayed the process.

The concerns of the Hamburg Interior Senators and Schools Senator regarding partial legalization give rise to discussion. In addition, the public prosecutor's office in Hamburg has reported an increased workload due to the new regulations. Despite these challenges, many clubs are optimistic. Hansa Cannabis Club officials hope to receive approval by the end of November to plan their first harvest for March 2025.

Social impacts and challenges

The legalization of cannabis cultivation is intended not only to strengthen health protection, but also to curb illegal drug trafficking. The Cannabis Act (CanG), which has been in force since April 1, 2023, allows those over 18 to possess up to 25 grams and grow up to three plants per person. It also stipulates that cannabis may be cultivated collectively in cultivation associations and distributed among each other in order to promote personal consumption without pursuing commercial interests.

However, there are also critical voices. In a survey by the Ifo Institute, 34% of those surveyed said they viewed the bill favorably, while 40% were clearly against it. Some parents, teachers and the police are concerned about the increase in consumption among young people. Statistics show that 8.8% of the population used cannabis in 2021. The federal government plans to review the law in autumn 2024 in order to evaluate possible consequences and developments, which should also address the concerns of critics.

The development in Hamburg is part of a larger trend in Germany that is rethinking drug policy. In some federal states such as Lower Saxony and Bremen, grower associations have already been approved, while Schleswig-Holstein is lagging behind and has not yet approved social clubs. This has been brought to the table by the SPD in Schleswig-Holstein, which criticizes the state government for not reacting adequately here.

In summary, the situation in Hamburg shows that the new cannabis landscape brings with it both hope and challenges. It remains to be seen whether partial legalization will have a positive effect in the long term - but the first steps have been taken.