Cannabis in Greece is illegal for recreational purposes. In 2017, the Greek government legalized the use of cannabis for medical purposes, and a year later it lifted the ban on growing or producing it. This allows pharmaceutical companies to grow cannabis legally, as well as industrial hemp suppliers. [1] In Austria, the legal situation is unclear, even for freely available CBD herb. For smoking weed and as an „aromatherapy product“, CBD can be purchased and consumed legally. CBD is prohibited in cosmetics and food. For example, confectionery Aida had to remove a cake containing the active ingredient from its range. The legalization of cannabis in this country is still a long time coming. Greece legalized medical cannabis in 2017 and lifted a ban on its cultivation and production in March 2018. However, entrepreneurs must set up a Greek company to buy or lease land and prepare the documentation for the planting permit.
In addition, a site license and medical authorization must be applied for from the National Pharmaceutical Organization in order to begin cultivation/production. Some states have already fully legalized cannabis, but the legal situation in these countries is sometimes very different. CBD is legal in Greece as long as CBS oil is certified by the EU. CBD must contain less than 0.2% THC. With these conditions, the use of oil and sale are allowed. In 2016, Greece`s North Macedonia legalized the production of medical cannabis, leading to a boom in investors. After the United States and later Poland invested heavily, more than 40 investors were finally approved for cultivation. Greece felt a lot, and also wanted a piece of the cake of the world market, and so in the years that followed, it relaxed the laws. However, Greece has ensured that its money stays in the country, as investors have to set up a Greek company to buy or lease land to cultivate. Subsequently, two licences are required from the National Drug Organization; an operating licence and a medical licence. The problem for both countries, however, is that for years they have been unable to enact laws that allow companies to profit from their culture. Further processing and export was not profitable or completely banned, which led to the entire legalization ad absurdum.
Chaotic conditions, with overfilled cold stores, which have contained the harvest of recent years, have resulted. In Macedonia, for example, there are only two companies that have the know-how to process flowers into extracts for domestic medical needs, and therefore 70% remain in storage as flowers without an export permit. Farmers are not paid, the economy is not fueled, and the more cannabis is stored somewhere under financial pressure from producers, the higher the risk that it will end up on the black market. For medical use, cannabis is already available in some countries. In 23 of the 47 European countries, access is possible under certain conditions. Some countries, such as Estonia or Greece, have legalized medical cannabis, but have not yet launched their marijuana program. And in many countries, smoking weed is allowed for health, but approval for patients has many obstacles. Also in Barcelona you can smoke in the legal grey area: the cafes here are called cannabis clubs. To buy and smoke, you must become a member. The clubs are private, the own cultivation of hemp plants is also allowed, but smoking weed in public is not. In addition, Barcelona hosts the largest cannabis fair every year, the „Spannabis“. In the exploratory discussions on the traffic light coalition, one topic is gaining all-party support: the legalization of cannabis.
What does the public think? Greece has undoubtedly recognised the added value of cannabis for its economy, which facilitates patients` access to their medicines. It remains to be seen whether the legal chaos will finally end with the new decision – as the Greek cannabis industry then has great potential. As the climate in the Balkans offers perfect growing conditions, a unique and robust genetics have developed there, which we could benefit from in Germany after legalization. Local varieties like Cretan could soon be sold here, and since Greece had the courage to reclassify cannabis three years ago, it could eventually have the courage to legalize recreational use – if only for the economy. For German politicians, the additional tax revenue was ultimately also a convincing argument. With a coalition of traffic lights in Germany, cannabis could also be legalized. The three parties, SPD, FDP and Greens, had shown themselves open to legalisation. The criticism comes from the police union (GoP): among other things, it warns that there will be more road accidents due to cannabis use. Experts also warn against careless use of the drug. But in some countries, cannabis has already been legalized or at least decriminalized.
The possession of small quantities is therefore not punishable, but at most punishable by a fine. We provide an overview of which regulations apply and where. Since 1987, all aspects of drug use have been punishable and were initially entirely punishable by imprisonment. In 2013, the strict law was relaxed and the „small amount“ was introduced, the possession of which can still be punished by an incredible 5 months in prison. Therapy instead of punishment, a concept that allows delinquent users in Germany to avoid imprisonment if the therapy is successful, was also introduced in 2013; Nevertheless, the sentence is draconian by European standards. If you are caught selling cannabis, you can go to jail for up to 8 years; If you are a consumer yourself, the penalty is reduced to 3 years. If cannabis is transmitted by people in public office, such as teachers or doctors, the penalty can even be life; In addition, fines between €50,000 and €500,000 may be imposed. Seeds are legal in themselves, but of course they are not allowed to germinate, although home cultivation (!!!) is apparently not really pursued. In a country where cannabis grows like weed, this would probably be a pretty big task.
Even with consumption, it is not so narrow, but also does not apply to cities (especially the larger ones). But we`ll come back to that later. CBD is not a problem in Greece and could become a respectable economic factor in the future, because in 2017 the government decided to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp, from which not only textiles, building materials, edible oil, animal feed, etc. are produced, but also CBD oil. And as if that wasn`t enough, the following year Greece became the sixth EU country to legalize the cultivation of potent cannabis for medical purposes. Even though then-Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras made the beautiful statement.“ Greece is now one of the countries where cannabis is legal for people in need. It was more of an economic gesture. There is no funding from health insurance companies or financial support from the state for patients. After the 2010 financial crisis, Greece is still in great economic difficulty, and has moved a little away from its neighbor Macedonia for a recovery. Medical cannabis is legal in Greece, but recreational use and possession is strictly prohibited. If you are caught, a prison sentence may come into effect. Greece sees the production of cannabis for medicine as an opportunity to improve the economy and create more jobs.
The Netherlands is considered a paradise for stone smokers. Cannabis can be purchased legally in so-called cafes. Otherwise, marijuana is illegal in the country, is only widely tolerated. The Netherlands is also a major producer of medical cannabis. In June 2017, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced that a joint ministerial decision on the legality of medical cannabis had been taken. The decision, published in the Official Gazette, declared that the medical use of cannabis was legal for patients with a medical prescription. With this announcement, Tsipras commented: „From now on, the country is turning its page, as Greece is now included in the countries where the delivery of medical cannabis to patients in need is legal.“ [4] [5] Cannabis is already legal in two countries: Uruguay and Canada. Today, some states want to follow suit and make their drug policy more liberal – also in the EU. So far, the legal situation has often been confusing, including in grey areas. A man smokes a joint with marijuana in a coffee shop.
