A controversial draft bill to legalize recreational marijuana use and cultivation was approved by the German cabinet on Wednesday (August 16). Health Minister Karl Lauterbach unveiled the bill after the approval and called it a 'turning point' in the battle for the legalization of cannabis use.
The German draft bill is being regarded as one of the most liberal cannabis bills in Europe, and if turned into a law, it could provide a precedent for similar legislation across the world. "No one should falsely understand the law. The consumption of cannabis will be legalized, but it remains dangerous," said Lauterbach in a joint statement with the agriculture ministry.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left government is hoping that the law will attack the black market, where the product is often adulterated with toxic substances, and simultaneously help reduce drug-related criminality.
"The protection of children and teenagers is a central element of the entire legislative project. With the current procedures, we could not seriously protect children and young people, the topic has been made a taboo," the statement added.
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