STORY: Those who want to buy and consume marijuana and hashish in Germany may be heading for more relaxed times. Because the federal government has set the course for the legal sale of these drugs. In concrete terms, the cornerstones adopted by the federal government enable the purchase and possession of 20 to 30 grams of cannabis for personal consumption. The purchase should be made in licensed shops. The product should be produced in Germany and controlled by the state. Advertising for cannabis products should be banned. In addition, part of the tax on cannabis should be used for education. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Wednesday: “We want to achieve a decriminalization of cannabis consumption in order to achieve better protection for children and young people, but also better health protection.” In recent years, increasingly problematic addictive behavior and a flourishing black market with the associated crime have been observed, said Lauterbach. In fact, he was always against legalization. “I’ve only changed my own position in the last year and a half. And that’s based on the evaluation of how successful we are with what we’ve been doing up to now. And what we’ve been doing up to now isn’t particularly successful.” With the template, Lauterbach is implementing a project from the coalition agreement of the traffic light government. Voices from Frankfurt. “I wouldn’t have a problem with that. Releasing it in small amounts, for your own consumption and if you don’t deal around, that’s all fine.” “Yes, such mixed feelings, to be honest. Well, I think getting the black market under control is definitely one of the reasons why you should tackle it. Of course, drugs anyway. It’s often called a gateway drug I don’t think cannabis should be underestimated, especially when it comes to young people.” “I am rather critical of legalization because I believe that many people simply cannot deal with the relationship. When is enough and when is it still good consumption and when does it tend to harm you.” Now the EU Commission in Brussels is to examine whether the plans are compatible with international law. If the vote is positive, Lauterbach expects a draft law in the first quarter of 2023.