Luxembourg joins only two other countries and a handful of US states in decriminalizing the cultivation of cannabis for recreational use. However, Germany may not be far behind.

Axar.az reports that the government of Luxembourg will be the first in the European Union to legalize growing cannabis, local media reported on Friday.

Under a new raft of laws presented by the Cabinet, residents aged 18 and over will be allowed to grow up to four plants for personal use and carry three grams on their person in public.

Fines for possessing cannabis, which used to run up to €2,500 ($2,900), will be drastically reduced and limited to those who consume the substance in public spaces where it is prohibited. Levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis, will cease to be regulated.

The new legislation would address "the problem of drug-related crime in Luxembourg", the government said.