Incoming Luxembourg Government Plans To Legalize Recreational Marijuana

Luxembourg’s incoming coalition government agreed to include recreational cannabis legalization as part of the policy goals, a significant milestone as the landlocked nation looks to become the first country in Europe to permit and regulate adult-use marijuana.

The three parties that comprise the ruling coalition government – the Democratic Party (DP), Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) and the Greens (déi gréng) – announced Thursday at a news conference that they will legalize recreational cannabis and its commercial distribution.

The full text of the coalition agreement could be signed Monday, according to the Luxembourg Times.

Although Luxembourg itself has only about 600,000 people, the potential market could exceed 10 million if nonresidents are allowed to participate as consumers – a significant opportunity for businesses vying to get a foothold in the broader EU market.

Because Luxembourg is a member of the European Union, neighboring citizens in France, Belgium and Germany are free to enter the country without a travel permit.

“If the reform allows for sales to nonresidents, the impact would be massive,” Bill Wirtz, a Luxembourgian and policy analyst for the Consumer Choice Center, told Marijuana Business Daily.

“It would be great news for consumers and the beginning of a new era of drug policy in the EU.”

He noted that the country has a relatively small local consumer market, but the Greater Region of Luxembourg includes two German federal states, the French region of Alsace and Lorraine, and the Belgian province of Wallonia.

“If the reform ends up keeping nonresidents off the market, the government might even face antidiscriminatory lawsuits,” Wirtz added.

“Moreover, if you really want to solve the black-market issue, you need to open sales to anyone.”

Coalition members could assume their government functions as soon as Wednesday, according to the Times.

Alfredo Pascual can be reached at [email protected]

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Original Article Source: https://mjbizdaily.com/incoming-luxembourg-government-plans-to-legalize-recreational-marijuana/

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