Germany Legalizes , Recreational Use of Cannabis.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government announced the pledge to legalize cannabis on Oct. 26.
Possession of up to 20 to 30 grams of weed in Germany will also be legalized.
Once complete, the measures will make Germany one of the first European nations in which the recreational use of marijuana is legal.
German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach did not indicate a specific timeline for the legislation.
Medically prescribed cannabis has been legal in Germany since 2017.
By adding a consumption tax to the purchase of marijuana, .
... Germany could potentially see an increase of nearly $4.7 billion in annual taxes.
Cannabis-related initiatives, including education and preventative measures, could also lead to the creation of nearly 27,000 new jobs.
Surveys reveal that approximately four million people in Germany used marijuana in 2021.
German lawmakers say that legalization will put a significant squeeze on the black market.
Because too restrictive conditions for the legal market only promote the black market for particularly strong cannabis, Kirsten Kappert-Gonther, Lawmaker, via Reuters.
Critics of the plan call it "irresponsible.".
Consumption entails significant and sometimes irreversible health and social risks -, Klaus Holetschek, Bavarian Health Minister,
via Reuters.
... and any form of trivialization is completely irresponsible, Klaus Holetschek, Bavarian Health Minister,
via Reuters