Drugs: Expert hearings on cannabis clearance to start

Drugs: Expert hearings on cannabis clearance to start

In the future, cannabis will also be freely available for non-medical purposes in licensed shops for adults. The course is now being set for a corresponding legal basis.

Concrete technical preparations are to start for the planned controlled release of cannabis in Germany. The first of five expert hearings begins this Tuesday, as the federal government’s drug commissioner, Burkhard Blienert (SPD), announced on Monday.

The topic of the non-public first round should therefore be aspects of health and consumer protection. The consultation process “Cannabis – but safe” is intended to prepare a subsequent legislative procedure.

Blienert spoke of a “gratifying moment”. Like many others, he has been working for years to finally end the criminalization of consumers in Germany and to start a modern, health-oriented cannabis policy. The hearings should discuss how the best protection for young people, health and consumers can be guaranteed in the event of implementation. “Because one thing is clear: we want to protect children and young people in particular from possible risks,” said Blienert.

Draft law planned for second half of the year

SPD, Greens and FDP have agreed in the coalition agreement to introduce a “controlled sale of cannabis to adults for recreational purposes in licensed shops”. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) had announced that a draft law would be presented in the second half of the year.

After the first hearing, four more are planned by the end of June. The second will deal with youth protection and prevention, the third with supply chains, ecological and economic issues. The fourth hearing is to deal with criminal liability, control measures and licensing, the fifth on June 30th with international experiences. A total of more than 200 experts from addiction medicine, addiction help, law, business, associations and representatives of the federal, state and local governments are to take part.

The five hearings should create the basis for a key issues paper by the drug commissioner and the federal ministries involved, which should then form the basis for the planned draft law.

The fifth date, “International Experiences”, will be open to the press on June 30, 2022 in the Allianz Forum in Berlin.
Accreditations are now possible via the press office of the Addiction and Drugs Commissioner.

Source: Stern

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