Despite resistance and medical authority concerns, Germany’s lower house of parliament voted on Friday to legalize cannabis for limited recreational use. Adults may now own tiny amounts of the drug for personal use, but under-18s are still not allowed to use it.
A total of 407 German legislators supported the new regulation, 226 opposed it, and 4 abstained from the vote on Friday. The bill’s passing comes after a contentious national discussion on the benefits and drawbacks of facilitating the drug’s easier availability.
With this step, cannabis is no longer officially listed as prohibited, making Germany the third nation in Europe to legalize the drug for recreational use, behind Luxembourg and Malta.
Although drug possession is illegal in the Netherlands, certain towns have allowed the sale of drugs at coffee shops under a so-called “policy of toleration.”
Distinct locales in other nations, such as the US and Australia, have distinct laws.
The new law, proposed by the ruling coalition party in Germany, allows individuals to grow up to three plants for personal use. It also permits them to carry up to 50 grams of marijuana at home and 25 grams in public beginning on April 1.
Cannabis will also be sold starting on July 1 in approved non-profit clubs with no more than 500 members, all of whom must be adults. Their work would only be available for consumption by club members.
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Prior to the vote, Germany’s Health Minister Karl Lauterbach stated, “The aim is to crack down on the black market and drugs-related crime, reduce the amount of dealing and cut the number of users.”
The German government declared that marijuana use near playgrounds and schools would be prohibited, and that it would continue to be banned for minors and severely limited for young adults.
“The primary goal of this law is to protect children and young people,” Lauterbach stated. Germany’s health minister stated, “Nobody should misunderstand this law: cannabis consumption is being legalized, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous.”
The new laws have been challenged by Germany’s largest opposition party, the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). In a statement released on Thursday, CDU lawmaker Tino Sorge said, “The coalition is acting like a state drug dealer instead of protecting children and young people.”
The German Medical Associations (GMA) has also voiced strong opposition to the plans.
Legalization of cannabis increases usage while devaluing the hazards involved. Cannabis has the potential to be extremely harmful to development and addicting. Before the voting on Friday, GMA President Klaus Reinhardt stated that the legalization of cannabis was not necessary for this country.
