The emblematic project will still need to gain approval from the European Union and the German parliament before entering the statute book, expected in 2024.
BERLIN - Germany on Wednesday paved the way to legalising the purchase and possession of small amounts of marijuana for recreational use, a step which would leave it with one of the most liberal cannabis policies in Europe.
The major reform to Germany's drugs policy was intended to deliver "better youth and health protection", Lauterbach said. Under the plans, advertisements for the drug would be banned, while packaging should be kept "neutral". "We are in the process of checking whether the key points we have laid out today are compatible with international and European law," Lauterbach said, a point which would be discussed with officials in Brussels.