Drug policy of Germany

The drug policy of Germany is considered to be one of the most lenient among European Union (EU) countries. Policies vary depending on the state.

History
In 1994, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled that drug addiction and the possession of small quantities of narcotics for personal use were not crimes. In 2000, the German law on narcotics (Betäubungsmittelgesetz) was changed to allow supervised injection rooms.

In 2002, a pilot project was started in seven German cities to evaluate the effects of heroin-assisted treatment on addicts, compared to methadone-assisted treatment. In 2009, the positive results of the study led to heroin-assisted treatment becoming included in mandatory health insurance.

As of November 2010, the youth organisation of Alliance 90/The Greens, namely the Green Youth, support the decriminalisation of those who consume drugs and the regulated sale of drugs via specialist stores along with drug education.

In February 2021, authorities in Germany and Belgium seized more than 23 tonnes of cocaine, worth billions of euros, from shipments that originated in Paraguay and Panama. In an international operation that resulted in one arrest, a man from Vlaardingen, Netherlands, German and Belgian authorities seized the largest amount of cocaine in Europe.

Cannabis policy
In 2017, Germany re-allowed medical cannabis. After the 2021 German federal election, the new government announced in their coalition agreement that they intend to legalise cannabis for all purposes (including recreational), and legislation to this effect was passed on 23 February 2024. The law went into effect on 1 April.