For the first time, a CDU politician has spoken out in favor of pilot projects for legal cannabis sales. Germany’s Federal Drug Commissioner Hendrik Streeck (CDU) wants to see model trials – but with strict conditions.
In an interview with the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), Streeck laid out his basic requirements: “No normalization, no commercial expansion, no advertising, no sales to young adults.” He proposes very limited amounts – around five grams – sales only to people over 25, and close scientific monitoring.
Background to the proposal
Over five million people use cannabis in Germany, a figure that Streeck says makes it pointless to either whitewash or completely repeal the cannabis law – something often demanded from within the Union. The fact that a CDU politician is taking this position is seen as novel and could signal that the debate on more practical cannabis policy is gradually gaining momentum even within the conservative party.
Several cities including Berlin, Frankfurt, Hannover, and Wiesbaden have previously attempted to launch model projects, but they were blocked by the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) on the grounds that the legal framework is not yet clearly defined – despite model projects being written into the cannabis law as a second pillar.
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Criticism of current regulation
Streeck is sharply critical of how the cannabis law works in practice. He argues that cultivation clubs (Anbauvereine) are so complicated to regulate that they barely function, leading to avoidance behavior rather than control. “If cultivation clubs are so complicatedly regulated that they hardly work, no control emerges – only evasion,” Streeck said.
He also points out that medical cannabis is being widely misused for recreational purposes – a problem he believes could be resolved through a properly regulated recreational supply chain. Streeck therefore supports Health Minister Nina Warken’s plans to tighten rules on medical cannabis and emphasizes the importance of a clear separation between medical and recreational cannabis.
Source
Krautvergleich.de: Drogenbeauftragter Streeck für Modellprojekte zum Cannabis-Verkauf
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