Germany set to legalise cannabis - will the EU and Ireland eventually follow suit?

Cannabis was legalized in Canada a few years ago. I've never tried it before 2021 ( I am 50). I always have enjoyed my beers, stouts, ales, craft beers and the like.

I have found as I get older, drinking beer tends to make me go to the bathroom more often and I get a terrible sleep, and do not feel great the next day. I started dabbling with edibles ( chocolate - various kinds, dark, milk, white, drinks - cans, tea and a mix to add to water). All I can say about this is that my Friday routine is now, have 5mg of THC chocolate, a drop or 2 of THC oil so in total 7-8 mg. Put the dishwasher on, sit back and just get high.

It is sooo relaxing, and yes, I do walk to the store to get some gummy bears ( not all the time). Girl friend on one side, dog on the other. We just sit and totally relax for 1-2 hrs. The best part is that I/we get a great sleep that night. It helps me turn off my brain and relax, and no need to get up several times to go to the bathroom. Next day, feel great. No hangover and a fantastic sleep.

I think it was a non-event here to be honest, and given a choice I would rather have THC at home and relax than go out and have 4-5 beers.

Plus, it's so cheap. $7 for a 10mg chocolate bar !

Why would the vintners fight it? I know lots of people who smoke weed including myself sometimes and it has zero effect on whether I go to the pub or not.

I just don't see how weed is in any way related to pubs

Competition.

Adcolutely. The last place I want to go when stoned is a crowded pub. Crap music, loud noise, mainstream tv or sky sports **** news and I'll have to get up and go home at some point.

I'm not saying peope will stop going but if they go to the pub three times a week then it'll be replaced by once a week and twice staying in with joints.

Not true - you can buy the stuff over the counter in the Netherlands. And all drugs are decriminalised in Portugal.

Doesn't matter too much what actually happens, it's what the vintners think will happen. If they think people are going to pick staying at home getting stoned instead of going to the pub then they'll lobby against it. Don't forget there's still a lot of people out there that think that cannabis is on a par with opiates while alcohol is good, wholesome fun for the whole family.

Maybe they don't care if it's legalized but I'd assume they're actively against it.

The only place that seems to have fully legalised is Malta, I wonder are there any restrictions in place.

I remember a suggestion a few years ago that cigarettes would be banned only for the government to respond that we couldn't do it, on the basis that a product could not be banned or deemed to be illegal in one state and not in others.

*Edit: Indeed there are restrictions in Malta an individual could be "done" for possession if proven that it was not solely for personal use!

Licensed sellers can sell it, but its illegal to do without. There are coffee shops (effecrtively bars) where you can buy and smoke in the pub (just no tobacco). Personal use is fine.

Portugal - decriminalised, meaning they can confiscate (and possibly order you to the therapy, not sure) but you won't get a criminal record.

Point is - different countries in the EU can make up their own laws.

Disappointingly very few coffeeshops actually enforce this rule

There does seem to be a bit of confusing details on the whole legal/decriminalised situation. I had heard of the decriminalisation in Portugal so it was very surprising to then see a shop openly selling cannabis products to the public when on holiday there. The situation in the Netherlands also had talk of only residents being allowed buy cannabis in the already licensed shops. The most recent thing I heard about that from someone living there was that this was just being ignored I suppose in the same way that it is technically still illegal there even though there are licensed places to sell it.

Some EU wide ruling about cannabis would be the most likely way it would be legalised here I think as there is a conservative tendency in all of the bigger political parties here. It does not mater to the politicians that there are so many other EU countries where it has been decriminalised with positive results as they will fear a backlash at the ballot box since there has been some negative media about cannabis on the national broadcaster here fairly regularly. The most recent details I remember being some statement from some medical professional's group about it being linked with mental illness but other discusions I read about this in the past highlighted that these links could be down to those with mental health issues self medicating. RTE coverage as usual was very much in favour of the continuation of the current legal situation here and it would be a brave politician to go against what the national broadcaster is telling people that still listen to them.

I think you've hit the nail on the head with the above. In the absence of an EU initiative various EU states will have to employ various legal tricks or work arounds. An individual EU state cannot go on a solo run regarding legalisation.

If the end result is to have it available for sale, then yes they can. Also, it's legal in Malta and legal for medicinal purposes in Croatia and Slovenia.

Again, the fact that it's legal, legal for medicinal use, illegal and decriminalised in various different EU countries proves that they can set their own laws.