Last week marked a significant milestone in Luxembourg’s journey to legalize recreational cannabis, as a proposal outlining the implementation plan was published.
The recommendations permit possession of up to 3 grams of cannabis, home cultivation of up to 4 plants, and a regulated retail market where residents can purchase a maximum of 5 grams daily, totaling 30 grams per month.
The primary recommendation in the plan, titled “Pilot Project for Legal Access to Cannabis for Non-Medical Purposes,” is to regulate access to non-medical cannabis through a rigorous and robust pilot project specifically tailored to Luxembourg’s needs.
The framework, drafted after consultations with an interministerial working group, was reviewed by four international experts: Henri Bergeron, Rebecca Jesseman, Tomas Zabransky, and Steve Rolles.
The first phase of the pilot project involves amending current legislation, specifically the amended Act of 19 February 1973 on the sale of medicinal substances.
Once completed, the second phase will focus on the recreational market, ensuring that only eligible individuals, such as Luxembourg residents aged 18 and older, have access.
The document outlines the coalition government’s motivation behind exploring cannabis law relaxation, stating that Luxembourg aims to
“respond responsibly and realistically to the social phenomenon of large-scale cannabis use observed in the general population.”
By implementing a pilot project focused on public health and safety-related objectives, the government hopes to address societal issues without normalizing or trivializing cannabis and its use.
Luxembourg became the first European country to announce plans for an adult-use cannabis market as part of government policy in 2018.
The coalition government’s agreement included provisions to decriminalize or legalize cannabis, emphasizing goals such as moving users away from the black market, reducing related mental and physical hazards, and combating supply-level criminality.
Several other European countries have made progress in their cannabis policies. For example, Malta recently became the first European nation to allow access to recreational cannabis and Germany have recently announced their plans.
As Luxembourg and other countries move forward with cannabis legalization, it signals a new era of responsible, regulated cannabis markets and a brighter future for the continent.
