The planned legalization of cannabis in Germany will pass quite quickly, said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, answering questions from citizens in Magdeburg.
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Scholz noted that although he does not believe marijuana use has no health consequences, he advocated its legalization.
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He acknowledged that there are people “who have been brainwashed and suffered serious psychological damage” because of cannabis, but it was because they abused it. Most still have a “half-civilized” attitude towards marijuana, so the legalization process should go quickly.
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The decision to legalize marijuana in Germany was made by the new government in November last year. The parties that formed the government published a coalition agreement explaining that such a measure would control the quality, prevent the presence of dangerous substances in it and guarantee the protection of minors from drug use. Cannabis will only be sold to adults in licensed stores.
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The parties agreed that in four years the coalition government will evaluate the social impact of the adoption of such a law. At the same time, mechanisms for drug testing and harm reduction from cannabis use should be expanded in Germany. In addition, the government considered that the rules for the sale of alcohol, tobacco products and marijuana should be tightened, and the adopted regulations in this area should be based on the latest scientific research and be consistent with health measures.
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In January 2017, the German parliament already allowed the use of marijuana by seriously ill and terminally ill people and created a special agency to resolve issues related to the medical use of the drug. It controls the cultivation, distribution and consumption of medicinal marijuana. Patients can buy marijuana at a pharmacy with a doctor’s prescription, and the costs can be compensated by medical insurance.
