German Opposition Leader Lobbies EU To Nix Country’s Cannabis Proposal

The leader of Germany’s biggest opposition party on Wednesday took aim at the country’s proposal to decriminalize marijuana and called on the European Union to intervene and block the plan.

Klaus Horeczek, the health minister of conservative-led German state governments, said he met the EU’s secretary general for immigration and home affairs in Brussels on Wednesday and called for the EU’s veto. According to Associated Press.

The proposal was put forward by German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach at the end of last month. If enacted, the new law “decriminalizes the possession of up to 30 grams (about 1 ounce) of cannabis and permits the sale of cannabis to adults for recreational purposes in controlled markets.” The Associated Press reported.

As German Broadcaster Deutsche Welle report “The legalization and regulation of the cannabis market was among the progressive reforms promised by the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. [Social Democratic Party of Germany] Last year it signed a coalition agreement between the neoliberal Liberal Democrats (FDP) and the Green Party. “

Lauterbach, a member of the Social Democratic Party, said in June that he had “always opposed the legalization of cannabis” but revised his position “about a year ago”.

He stated “his desire to have a new set of cannabis laws to present to the Bundestag, the German parliament, later this year.” Deutsche Welle reporting at the time.

But those plans ran into a deadlock in September, when a coalition government of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats (FDP) threatened to prevent the proposals they had prepared from being approved by European Union courts. expressed concern that there is

“The promise of a breakthrough by the end of the year requires a certain amount of caution,” a German government official said at the time. “All the complexities are starting to seep in and the risks involved are more clearly perceived. A reference to a toll road construction project that was abandoned when it was ruled that

After announcing his decriminalization proposal last month, Lauterbach said the German government would “check with the European Union’s Executive Committee whether the plans approved by the German government are in line with EU law and will Based on “advancing legislation, it gets the green light” The Associated Press reported at the time.

According to the AP, under the proposal, cannabis could be “grown under license and sold to adults in licensed outlets to combat the black market,” and individuals would be allowed “up to three plants.” and permitted to purchase or possess 20.30 grams of marijuana.”

Horecek on Wednesday condemned the coalition’s proposal and urged the European Union to block the measure.

According to Associated Press, “Holetschek told EU official Monique Pariat: ‘We are convinced that the German government’s planned legalization of cannabis not only endangers health, but also violates European law.’ He claimed that two EU agreements oblige Germany to ‘and other Member States to criminalize the manufacture and sale of cannabis and other drugs. “

Marijuana has been decriminalized in many European countries, but full-scale legalization across the continent is still fairly rare.

Last year, the tiny state of Malta became the first country in the European Union to legalize pots.The new law allows individuals to own up to 7 grams and grow up to 4 plants inside their homes. .