The possession is illegal, while consumption itself is legal on the basis of it being considered self-harm, which is not considered a crime. The possession of small amounts is prosecuted, but charges are virtually always dropped. The definition of this "small amount" varies depending on the federal state, the state of Berlin being the most liberal, allowing 15 grams for personal use in most cases, while most states do not prosecute up to 6 grams.[55]
It is also possible to obtain a special permission by the "Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices" to obtain, possess and consume cannabis as a part of medically supervised and accompanied self-therapy.[56][57] By January 2015, 241 patients have obtained such a permission.[58] Furthermore Cannabis cultivation and possession can be permitted to scientific institutions or administrative bodies. Pharmacies can obtain a special permission to sell cannabis or cannabis based medication to patients with a permission.