Germany on Wednesday paved the way to Legalising the purchase and possession of small amounts of marijuana for recreational use, as well as its production.
“The federal cabinet today agreed the key points for the controlled distribution of cannabis to adults for recreational use,” Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said at a news conference.
The traffic-light coalition of the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and FDP says it wants to create a safer alternative to cannabis sold on the black market and prevent money being funnelled into organised crime.
However, it remains to be seen whether the plan will actually be paved into law. International and European rules on dealing with cannabis could stand in the way of full legalisation in Germany.
A concrete bill will therefore not be presented in parliament until it becomes clear that there are no legal objections from the EU to the planned recreational cannabis legalisation.
Medical marijuana has been legal in Germany since 2017, under a strict set of rules.
