Germany has announced plans to legalise the possession of small amounts of cannabis for recreational use as well as its sale and production.
Following a proposal agreed on Wednesday October 26, by the cabinet, possession of up to 1oz of the substance will become legal, health minister Karl Lauterbach said.
The overriding goal of making it legal to buy and smoke cannabis in Germany, the Social Democrat politician said, was to better protect young people, who were already consuming the drug in increasing numbers after obtaining it on the black market.
Adults will also be allowed to buy cannabis from licensed premises, with Mr. Lauterbach adding that the market will be tightly regulated.
