The German government agreed on Wednesday to a framework to legalize recreational cannabis for adults that would make the country one of the most liberal in Europe, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said.
The main lines of the project, which must be approved by European legislation, aim to put the production and trade of cannabis under “public control” and allow the purchase and possession “of a maximum quantity of 20 to 30 grams” for consumption staff, the minister said at a press conference.
Instead, use by those under the age of 18 is still strictly prohibited. “If all goes well, I think that legalization could take place in 2024,” stressed the Social Democratic minister when presenting the roadmap approved by the Council of Ministers.
But everything will depend on the examination of the European Commission.
“We are verifying that the general lines that we have drawn up in this document are compatible with international and European law,” he stressed. In case the European Commission does not give its approval, the document would not lead to legislation, he specified, being relatively sure that it will overcome the obstacle.
stop the black market
The minister justified this reform by the desire “to obtain better protection for children and young people”, considering the current policy ineffective in a context of increased cannabis use.
Some 4 million people in the country used this drug considered soft last year, a quarter of them were between 18 and 24 years old, he said. Along the same lines, Justice Minister Marco Buschmann considered that the purely repressive policy had “failed”.
“That is why we want to legalize cannabis consumption responsibly. That means better quality products and therefore health protection” and relief for justice that can “focus on more important things,” he said on his Twitter account. .
The document adopted on Wednesday provides for “public control of the supply chain” of cannabis with the aim of “guaranteeing health protection and curbing organized crime and the black market.”
The plan organizes “the production, supply and trade of recreational cannabis under state-controlled licenses”, and authorizes the cultivation of three cannabis plants per adult for personal use.
Its sale will be “strictly controlled”, sellers will not be able to advertise and the packaging must be “neutral” and inform of the risks.
“We do not want to make the same mistakes as with alcohol or tobacco, because young people and children are the ones who react most to the promises of the advertising industry,” said the government commissioner in charge of drug and addiction issues, Burkhard Blienert .
Revenues from the sale of cannabis for recreational use will be subject to a tax, and the introduction of a special consumption tax (+cannabis tax+) is planned, according to the document.
flagship government project
If the project is carried out, Germany will be part of the small club of countries that have legalized this drug, such as Malta in Europe, or Uruguay and Canada in America.
In the Netherlands, a pioneer country, possessing, consuming and selling up to five grams of
Cannabis has been tolerated since 1976 in “coffee shops”.
Several States have decriminalized it, waiving prison sentences for consumers, or have only allowed its consumption for medical purposes.
Cannabis legalization is a landmark reform promised by the FDP’s coalition government of Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals when it was formed a year ago.
The Social Democrats were for a long time against it. Lauterbach declared that he had changed his position in the last two years. The conservative opposition continues to reject the initiative almost in its entirety.
Bavarian State Health Minister Klaus Holetschek called the government’s initiative a “dangerous signal for all of Europe”, fearing that legalization would bring nothing but fanatics of
cannabis from other European countries to Germany.
AFP
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