Germany's cannabis act: a catalyst for European drug policy reform?

Autor:	Manthey J; Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.; Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstraße 10, 04103, Leipzig, Germany., Rehm J; Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.; Institute for Mental Health Policy Research & Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1P8, Canada.; Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Room 2374, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.; Program on Substance Abuse, Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Program on Substance Abuse & WHO CC, 81-95 Roc Boronat St., 08005, Barcelona, Spain., Verthein U; Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	The Lancet regional health. Europe [Lancet Reg Health Eur] 2024 May 14; Vol. 42, pp. 100929. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 May 14 (Print Publication: 2024).
DOI:	10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.100929
Abstrakt:	With the enforcement of the Cannabis Act on 1 April 2024, Germany has adopted one of the most liberal legal approaches to cannabis on the continent. The German model prioritises a non-profit approach and precludes legal market mechanisms. We believe these are the main drivers for increasing cannabis use and related health problems, based on observations following cannabis legalisation in Canada and many states in the U.S. Although legalising cannabis possession and cultivation may not immediately eliminate the illegal market, it is expected to serve public health goals. Despite the overall positive evaluation of the Cannabis Act in Germany, there are three potential areas of concern: the potential for misuse of the medical system, the normalization of cannabis use, and the influence of the cannabis industry. The German model may herald the beginning of a new generation of European cannabis policies, but concerted efforts will be required to ensure that these policy reforms serve rather than undermine public health goals. Competing Interests: Unrelated to the present work, JM has worked as consultant for and received honoraria from various public health organizations (World Health Organization, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, national non-governmental organisations) and has received payment for expert testimony in the German parliament. Moreover, all authors were involved in a research project on potential outcomes of cannabis legalisation based on empirical evidence from other countries funded by the German Ministry of Health. (© 2024 The Author(s).)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
Externí odkaz:	Zobrazit plný text záznamu