German Cannabis Bill On Agenda For Vote Next Week, Opposition Calls It 'Irresponsible And Dangerous'

The cannabis legalization bill in Germany, which has been placed on the legislative agenda for the week of February 19, has marijuana advocates hopeful that the reform is on track and that weed will be legal on April 1. The vote in the Finance Committee on Wednesday needs to be followed up with action by the Health Committee and then the full chamber, reported merkur.de.

Tino Sorge, a German lawyer and politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the second largest party in the Bundestag, said the party opposes the reform and will demand a roll-call vote.

"We will request a roll-call vote on this law,’ Sorge said to IPPEN.MEDIA. "All deputies of the coalition will have to position themselves by name to this irresponsible project. This will show whether the health and legal policymakers of the coalition actually want to support the law."

Sorge added that if the CDU was in power, it would not have allowed this law. "This irresponsible and dangerous law will be one of the very first coalition projects that we will reverse after a change in government."

Health Minister Criticized Over Cannabis Statements 

Meanwhile, several days after German political groups confirmed to have resolved disputes about the proposed cannabis legalization bill, with the assumption the legislation will become law on April 1 German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) appeared on a talk show and shared his views.

Lauterbach, who is known as a supporter of the reform made comments which caused frustration among some viewers, who expressed their opinions on social networks. The Health Minister said the reform has two objectives.

"Those who already consume will no longer have to rely on the black market and dealers," Lauterbach said as reported by DerWesten. "We acknowledge that cannabis is consumed within society. Secondly, we want to better protect children and teenagers by destigmatizing it, because it is a drug that can damage the developing brain.”

Some viewers found this contradicting with Lauterbach defending the reform and then arguing it is dangerous for youth. 

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Photo: Benzinga edit with images by Martin Kraft via Wikimedia Commons and Matthew Sichkaruk via Unsplash