Health Minister: Germany takes a safety-first approach to cannabis legalization

According to a report on Der Spiegel, Germany's largest news site, German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach Lauterbach commented at the ministry's hearing on the legalization of recreational marijuana, where hundreds of experts spoke out on addiction, law, business, governance, industry and other aspects. Lauterbach said the focus of Germany's upcoming legalization of adult-use marijuana will be on safety and protecting youth from negative health effects. Lauterbach did not mention Canada, but his comments suggest that Germany may follow some aspects of Canada, which is typically a more restrictive, health-focused regulatory system. Lauterbach confirmed that the government aims to complete a draft law by the end of this year, but did not provide new details about when the legislation will be approved and regulations issued. Lauterbach said about 4 million adults consume cannabis in Germany. Yet some studies suggest the number of potential cannabis consumers is much higher. a 2018 survey found that 16.9 percent of young people (ages 15-34) had consumed cannabis in the past 12 months.

Information source: mjbizdaily.com/