Will Germany Get a Celebrity Boost for Cannabis?
The power of celebrities and their influence into normalizing the recreational use of cannabis cannot be undermined. Boost from major stars has proven to be critical for destigmatizing the plant in the US. As legal cannabis is expanding globally, we cannot but wonder whether other countries, such as Germany very soon, will embrace the stardom factor?
Legal cannabis in the U.S. would be an entirely different landscape than it is today if it were not for celebrities. From Martha Stewart to Rihanna and Kevin Durant, the list of famous and influential stars who’ve embraced cannabis one way or the other now looks endless.
Snoop Dogg made the world stop last year when he posted on Instagram that he is giving up smoke. All it took was a single post and it was all over the news for days and weeks after that. In the end, it turned out it was all part of a smart marketing campaign between Dogg and Solo Stove about a smokeless fire pit.
It’s just one of many examples that demonstrate the impact celebrities can make about recreational cannabis. A single post about it and the news will travel far and wide.
Whether they are major stars in Hollywood, multiple Grammy Award winners, or sturdy athletes who’ve broken nearly every record in the sport in which they compete, one thing is for sure, the power of celebrities can move mountains. TV personalities and internet sweethearts can destigmatize the medicinal plant with a flick of the finger (or a few flicks).
Understandably, new cannabis markets may struggle in the beginning, and many people might have doubts around weed as not everyone is familiar with it. As legalization arrives in more countries around the world, it’s legit to ask if there’s anything those with influence can do to make things more comfortable, especially for those who are still hesitant about it?
German Celebrities with Support for Medical Cannabis
Germany is the latest European country that has decided to join the green rush. One of the biggest EU members will officially enact its new cannabis regulation on April 1.
The new cannabis law will permit the recreational use of marijuana. Legalization will move forward despite the fact there are parts of the country, such as the southern state of Bavaria, where the vast majority opposes the free adult-use of cannabis.
High-profile public figures in Germany have already supported the German medical cannabis market, however. And this could promise a good start.
One of the early birds to join the German cannabis market was actor Moritz Bleibtreu, who starred in Run Lola Run.
Bleibtreu is an investor in the Frankfurt-based medical cannabis holding group Bloomwell, which last year closed a multi-million euro growth capital round with high-profile US investors as well as the award-winning actor.
Another national celebrity that has set foot in cannabis is Bundesliga star Mario Götze. The football player became an investor in the CBD start-up Sanity Group, along with other famous stars such as singer Will.i.am, actress Alyssa Milano, and German supermodel Stefanie Giesinger.
Some German celebrities, like rapper Sido have taken things a step further. The Berliner has launched his own medical cannabis startup called “Kejf,” which (in free translation) means “Enjoy.”
Those would be just a few examples. The list of influencers willing to join the sector now that adult-use cannabis is going legal in Germany, is expected to expand indeed.
If Germany’s legalization effect mirrors that of the U.S., cannabis will be quickly endorsed by more public figures and influencers from all spheres of society and entertainment.
Recreational Legalization Will Help Cannabis Patients
Crafting the new law on cannabis in Germany essentially removed cannabis from the country’s official list of narcotics. This alone is expected to double the number of medical cannabis patients in the EU country.
Legalization foresees the launch of licensed cannabis clubs where members can supply a monthly allowance of weed. The law also includes a provision to homegrow up to three plants for personal use, with a maximum yield of 50 grams of dried flower.
Despite this being a melted-down version of the original legalization plan for Germany, the new law will have a tremendous impact anyway. The regulatory requirements will improve on cultivation, distribution, storage, testing, and every other aspect related to medical cannabis.
The German cannabis control bill will simplify the market standards and will likely cause the prices of cannabis products to fall, therefore making the plant medicine more accessible for everyone.
So far, German patients have often encountered difficulties in obtaining cannabis therapy. They were required to have a special narcotic prescription for every purchase of medicinal marijuana product. After April 1, when the new legislation is officially enacted, patients will be able to get medicinal cannabis with a regular doctor’s prescription.
The list of qualifying conditions for which you can get medicinal cannabis is also being extended. Physicians can prescribe it for a wider range of health conditions from now on.
The upgrade on medicinal cannabis plus recreational legalization makes a clear cut. It’s the perfect timing for celebrities and influencers to use their resources and contribute to a good start of the nascent cannabis market in Germany.
Also read on Soft Secrets:
- German Parliament Approves Cannabis Legalization Bill
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Stephen Andrews
