Saxony's interior minister criticizes planned cannabis liberalization

Saxon Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) has sharply criticized the planned legalization of cannabis and warned of the consequences. "The cannabis law is a complete aberration on the part of the federal government, with fatal consequences for safety, road traffic and the health of young people in particular," he told the German Press Agency in Dresden on Tuesday evening. That is why it is now necessary to "take action against this with all available parliamentary means".

"We are already working on the next step, the appeal to the Mediation Committee by the Bundesrat. I also support the assessment of the Bundesrat's Interior Committee that this bill requires the approval of the federal states in the Bundesrat," emphasized the minister. The legalization of cannabis will have considerable consequences for the federal states: "In case of doubt, Karlsruhe must have the last word," he said, referring to the Federal Constitutional Court.

Last Friday, the Bundestag decided on the controlled release of cannabis in Germany. Possession and cultivation of the drug is to become legal on April 1 with numerous requirements for adults for personal use. The law is expected to be passed by the Bundesrat on March 22. It does not require approval, but the chamber of the federal states could, in principle, call on the mediation committee with the Bundestag and slow down the process.