The Hamburg Senate has announced a Federal Council initiative aimed at establishing new rules for drug consumption rooms. The goal of the proposed changes is to relieve pressure on public spaces by permitting the sharing of small amounts of illegal drugs for immediate consumption within these established facilities, the Senate reported on Thursday.
Currently, German law permits the possession of minor quantities of illegal drugs for personal use in consumption rooms, but it does not allow users to pass these substances on to others. This legal restriction frequently results in users leaving the rooms and continuing to consume drugs in public areas. To address this issue, the Senate intends to eliminate this legal hurdle by adapting the Narcotics Act.
This initiative takes inspiration from the experience in Zurich, where rules regarding public space are integrated with the functioning of consumption rooms. The Senate is urging the federal government to adjust drug laws to grant the necessary legal flexibility and operational scope to the individual states.
Social Senator Melanie Schlotzhauer (SPD) stated, “Drug consumption should not happen on the streets. If current rules lead people to go outside just to pass on tiny amounts, we must change them.” She noted that Zurich demonstrates how this shift can successfully benefit both the consumption rooms and the broader public environment. Because this is an issue facing many major German cities, not just Hamburg, the city is introducing a concrete proposal for federal law change to the Federal Council. The Federal Council is scheduled to consider the initiative on September 25, 2026.
