ALBAWABA - Germany's recreational marijuana law allowed adults to possess tiny amounts, prompting celebrations near Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. The new law has changed Germany's drug policy, even though cannabis sales and purchases are still illegal.
German drug policy changed significantly with Wednesday's ruling. This coincides with plans to launch a public education campaign about marijuana's risks to adolescents.
While cannabis proponents applaud the new legalization, concerns remain about its effects on teenage health and traffic safety. Friedrich Merz, the opposition leader, said he will repeal the law if his party wins the elections due to its impact on road safety.
Health minister Karl Lauterbach has underlined the necessity of cannabis education, especially for teen brain development. The law restricts young adults between 18 and 21 from using marijuana and prohibits under-18s from doing so.
The bill allows anyone to grow a set number of cannabis plants for personal use. The law also authorizes non-profit cannabis associations under government oversight.
"We need more controls to prevent Germany from becoming the cannabis capital of Europe," the former Bavarian health minister continued. There will be a rise in emotional and early psychotic disorders. Up until the age of 25, the brain is still developing, therefore cannabis users run the danger of long-term harm."
The German parliament, the Bundestag, approved a new law permitting marijuana use for recreational purposes in August 2023. The law was presented to the government by the health minister.
