By Biodun Busari

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says his government has concluded plans to legalise cannabis for consumption by the public for recreational purposes.

Germany’s health minister Karl Lauterbach on Wednesday presented a cornerstone on the planned legislation to regulate the distribution and consumption of cannabis for recreational purposes among adults.

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While saying Germany will be one of the first European countries to embark on it, he stressed the acquisition and possession of 20 to 30 grams of recreational cannabis for personal consumption would also be made legal.

Reuters reported that the coalition government struck an agreement last year to introduce legislation during its four-year term to allow the controlled distribution of cannabis in licensed shops.

Many countries of the region have already legalised cannabis for limited medicinal purposes, including Germany in 2017. Others have decriminalised its general use while stopping short of making it legal.

According to the paper, private self-cultivation would be permitted to a limited extent. It also revealed that there are ongoing investigations and criminal proceedings connected to cases no longer illegal would be terminated.

The government will also introduce a special consumption tax, and develop cannabis-related education and abuse prevention programmes.

Legalising cannabis could bring Germany annual tax revenues and cost savings of about 4.7 billion euros ($4.7 billion) and create 27,000 new jobs, a survey found last year.

Lauterbach said that some 4 million people consumed cannabis in Germany last year, 25% of whom were between ages 18 and 24, adding the legalisation would destroy the cannabis black market.

Germany will present the paper to the European Commission for pre-assessment and will only draft a law once the Commission approves the plan, the minister added.

“If the EU Commission says no to Germany’s current approach, our government should seek alternative solutions. Not just say: Well, we tried our best,” said Niklas Kouparanis, chief executive of Bloomwell Group, one of Germany’s largest cannabis firms.