Germany Jumps On The Pot Train With USA And EU

This month, President Joe Biden took additional measures to grant pardons to those who have been found guilty on a federal level of simple marijuana possession. Some saw the action, which affected around 6,500 individuals, as an effort to win over the president’s socialist Democratic followers. However, a high-ranking White House representative assured the media that no Americans were being held for basic marijuana possession.

The United States has legalized cannabis for recreational use in 19 states, and Germany is poised to follow suit. It will be one of just two European Union countries to do so.

Karl Lauterbach, the health minister, unveiled a paper detailing ideas for a related move on Wednesday. The proposed legislation would establish rules for the restricted distribution and use of cannabis for adult recreational use. The possession of up to 30 grams of recreational cannabis for personal use would also be permitted.

The idea, which was apparently accepted by the nation’s Federal Cabinet, still has to be submitted to the European Commission and subsequently lawmakers

Germany has previously taken action to change this. The most recent action was taken after the coalition government reached an agreement last year to introduce a bill allowing some retailers to carry marijuana. How long it will take for the plan to become law is unknown.

The only other nation in the European Union that has legalized marijuana is Malta, which makes American policy unique compared to that of Europe.

Guam, Washington, D.C., and 19 states in the US have all legalized marijuana usage for recreational purposes. When Coloradans approved a ballot initiative to legalize the drug’s sale and recreational use in 2012, Colorado became the first state to do so.