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Traffic light coalition is examining the legalization of cannabis - that would be a blessing for the state treasury, say economists

2021-10-21T14:24:31.062Z


The future traffic light coalition could allow cannabis. Not only Alt-68 should be happy about this, but also the next finance minister.


The future traffic light coalition could allow cannabis.

Not only Alt-68 should be happy about this, but also the next finance minister.

Berlin - Climate protection, digitization and a pension reform: The plans of the possible traffic light coalition sound good.

But how the whole thing is to be financed is not really clear from the exploratory paper.

This is where cannabis legalization could serve as a welcome tool.

Stoners as saviors of the financial budget?

Yes, at least the legalization of the hotly debated drug could wash billions of euros into the German household budget.

This is what a team of researchers led by Justus Haucap, economics professor at the University of Düsseldorf, calculated.

In 2018, Haucap and his team outlined German cannabis needs.

Cannabis legalization: this is how much the state could earn

The result: 250 tons per year.

With this amount, thanks to taxes, almost 2.7 billion euros could jump out for the state - and that with very conservative and cautious calculations.

Finally, cannabis, like tobacco and alcohol, could also be taxed.

In addition, legalization would save quite a bit of police costs.

Because illegal trade also means a lot of work for the officials.

But the calculation from two years ago is no longer entirely up-to-date, as Haucap

told

Spiegel

.

“We now have new insights into a number of factors.

Overall, the legalization of cannabis should bring the state significantly more income and save costs than we calculated in 2018, ”explained the economist.

Therefore, Haucap and his team are currently working on an update of the study.

This is what the traffic light parties think of cannabis legalization

But how do the SPD, Greens and FDP stand on the legalization of cannabis? While the FDP and the Greens are in favor of “selling in licensed specialist shops”, the SPD is even more cautious. She proposes a “regulated distribution” to adults. Initially, however, only in model projects that are supported by prevention and counseling offers. The chances of the long-discussed legalization are therefore good - even if nothing about it was to be read in the exploratory paper.

Another plus point of legalization: the black market would be done away with.

Nhung Nguyen, co-boss of the Berlin hemp fair explains that synthetically stretched or excessively strong cannabis is often sold there, which leads to hospital stays, especially for young consumers.

Controlled sales could counteract this problem.

(ph)

List of rubric lists: © Stefan Puchner / picture alliance / dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-10-21

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