In the past few years, a number of European countries have decriminalized cannabis for personal use. Medicinal cannabis is also now available in some nations for specific medical conditions, primarily for patients with severe and disabling diseases that don’t respond to traditional treatments.

The German government has agreed on a plan that would legalize recreational cannabis for adults, but it hasn’t been approved in parliament yet, and is awaiting approval from the European Commission. If it does get the green light, people age 18 and older could buy up to 25 grams of marijuana each day from licensed shops and pharmacies.

It’s a socially progressive policy for Germany, which has long been seen as a leader in socially liberal policies. The government is expected to announce a plan in the next few weeks, and could make it official in 2024.

As the German plans are still in the works, it’s not clear what impact they will have on public health. Future research should examine how legalization impacts: attitudes towards cannabis and the frequency of use among youth; the rate of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for marijuana-related problems; the incidence of cannabis-related car crashes; and treatment seeking for cannabis-use disorders and their outcomes.

To reduce harms from cannabis consumption, future models of legalization should incorporate: early restriction of cannabis edibles and high potency products; effective labelling of cannabis products with both dose/serving size information and health risks; and integration of a robust data collection framework to monitor acute harms. This will allow for early detection of harmful trends and patterns.

Legal cannabis clubs are popping up across New York. While the state is still figuring out how to handle the proliferation of unlicensed storefronts, these shops have been causing consternation for regulators.

Empire Cannabis Club, for example, operates a membership service that acquires marijuana products for its members. It isn't clear if it is a license-able business, and it seems to be violating a provision in the law that requires licensed businesses to be open for 14 months after receiving their dispensary licenses.

Housing Works Cannabis, on the other hand, is a legitimate store that offers legal weed to those who have been incarcerated for marijuana possession. It also donates proceeds to local nonprofit groups, including those working to help people with a history of substance abuse or who have been homeless.

The company's manager, Sasha Nutgent, said the long wait times are likely to ease as the shop hires more staff and expands into online ordering and delivery. She expects the store's prices to come down in the near future, and she is looking forward to offering a wider selection of products as the market continues to grow.

A few states are considering legalizing drug clubs, which would allow people to share a limited amount of marijuana. Germany, for example, is planning to set up social clubs where people can consume up to 25 grams of cannabis per person, and previous convictions will be erased from the country's central registry upon request.