Starting on April 1st, 2024, adults in Germany can legally cultivate, possess, and consume cannabis for recreational purposes. Germany’s legalization model also includes cultivation associations, and eventually, regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials.

Unfortunately, nationwide adult-use sales like what is permitted in Uruguay and Canada cannot occur in Germany until European Union agreements are modernized to allow such activity. A recent study conducted by Sanity Group highlights why further reform is warranted in Germany and the rest of the EU.

A team of researchers associated with Sanity Group examined over 300 unregulated cannabis samples from 30 different German cities. According to the results of the study, roughly 80% of the samples of unregulated cannabis were contaminated with various harmful substances, from hairspray to banned pesticides.

“The investigation showed that 74 percent of the samples contained bacteria and viruses, 71 percent contained dangerous pesticides and 65 percent were contaminated with feces. In addition, traces of cocaine were found in 47 percent of cases and hairspray residues in 32 percent. The samples from the major cities of Berlin, Hamburg and Munich were particularly heavily contaminated.” the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW) stated in a recent newsletter about the study’s findings.

“These worrying results underline the urgency of establishing a comprehensive range of safe, controlled cannabis products in Germany as part of the partial legalization process (“Pillar 2”). This is the only way to ensure the health protection of consumers. The study clearly illustrates the risks of the black market and the need for a regulated supply of cannabis in order to protect the health of consumers.” the association also stated.

The main goal of German legalization is to boost public health outcomes, with the main premise being that when adults consume regulated cannabis products instead of unregulated cannabis products they are healthier. To further BvCW’s point, Germany needs a more comprehensive legal cannabis commerce system to achieve the nation’s legalization goal.

Findings from the German study are similar to the results of a separate study conducted in Canada which also found that unregulated cannabis is often contaminated. Whereas regulated cannabis is tested for contaminants and subject to recalls, the same is not true for unregulated cannabis.

Canada implemented the Cannabis Act in late 2018, making it the first G-7 nation to pass a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure. One of the top goals of Canada’s cannabis policy modernization effort was to enact regulations to reduce contamination rates in the products that people were consuming.

“In this study, we describe an expanded 327 multi-residue pesticide analysis in cannabis inflorescence to confirm if the implementation of the Cannabis Act is providing safer licensed products to Canadians in comparison to those of the illicit market.” a team of Canadian researchers stated about their 2023 study.

“An extensive multi-residue method was developed using a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) sample preparation method using a combination of gas chromatography—triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) and liquid chromatography—triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) for the simultaneous quantification of 327 pesticide active ingredients in cannabis inflorescence.” researchers stated about the testing method used on the samples involved in the study.

“Application of this method to Canadian licensed inflorescence samples revealed a 6% sample positivity rate with only two pesticide residues detected, myclobutanil, and dichlobenil, at the method’s lowest calibrated level (LCL) of 0.01 μg/g.” researchers stated about the regulated samples.

“Canadian illicit cannabis inflorescence samples analysed showed a striking contrast with a 92% sample positivity rate covering 23 unique pesticide active ingredients with 3.7 different pesticides identified on average per sample. Chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, and myclobutanil were measured in illicit samples at concentrations up to three orders of magnitude above the method LCL of 0.01 μg/g.” researchers stated about the unregulated samples.

The difference in contamination rates largely speaks for itself regarding the effectiveness of regulating cannabis products. In an unregulated market, the number one incentive is to make as much money as possible, and that all but guarantees that humans will cut corners at the expense of consumers.

When consumers are afforded the option to purchase regulated cannabis versus unregulated cannabis in Canada, they choose regulated cannabis more often than not according to the results of a study that was also published in 2023. The same would presumably be true in other markets, including European markets.

Adults are going to consume cannabis whether it is legal to do so or not. Enough time has passed to prove that cannabis prohibition does not lower usage rates. All prohibition does is push consumers to unregulated sources.