Luxembourg will soon become the first European country to legalize cannabis production and consumption, confirmed the nation’s health minister Etienne Schneider in a recent press release.
He has also called on his EU neighbors to relax their drug laws. “Forbidding everything made things just more interesting to youth … I’m hoping each one of us will get a more open-minded attitude toward drugs.”
Once the legislation is passed, Luxembourgers 18 and over will be able to buy the drug for recreational purposes – within the next 2 years. The production and distribution of the drug will be regulated through a marijuana agency.
The draft legislation — which will touch a few topics such as details on the level of tax and the types of marijuana strains that will be on sale — is expected to be unveiled later this year.
Reportedly, the legislation would prohibit non-residents from buying the drug so as to dissuade drug-tourism. Home growing, too, would most likely be banned. Furthermore, minors aged 12-17 would not be criminalized for possessing 5 grams or less of marijuana.
Notably, Luxembourg has already legalized the use of marijuana for medicinal use. Possession of small amounts for adult use has also been decriminalized; however, its production, purchase and sale remains illegal.
Interestingly, Luxembourg will follow in the footsteps of Canada in legalizing the possession of 30 grams of marijuana.
