As of: February 25, 2024, 2:34 p.m
By: Kathrin Braun
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Judith Gerlach (CSU), Minister of Health in Bavaria © Photo: dpa
Health Minister Judith Gerlach (CSU) is a thorn in the side of the legalization of cannabis for adults.
Even if the new law (CanG) comes into force, she wants to do everything she can to curb cultivation and consumption as much as possible.
In the interview she explains her plans.
Ms. Gerlach, you recently called cannabis legalization a “bad joke.”
Now it's not an April Fool's joke.
It's not just Bavaria that sees this critically.
You just have to ask around in the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag: even there, some are against legalization.
The federal government is endangering millions of people - especially young people - by trivializing cannabis.
They are announcing “maximally restrictive enforcement” for Bavaria.
What should we understand by that?
For example, we will set up a central control unit to curb the consumption of cannabis for recreational purposes as much as possible.
We will pay close attention to ensuring that the possession limits are adhered to, that no consumption occurs in prohibited zones and that violations are consistently prosecuted.
Bavaria will also continue to invest intensively in addiction prevention.
Have you already spoken to people who want to set up growing associations?
Not yet - that will then be the task of our control authority: it will issue permits to the cultivation associations and monitor them.
Cultivation and distribution of cannabis must be precisely recorded and checked.
One thing is clear: this all costs a lot of money and personnel.
But the black market is likely to suffer from legalization.
This theory has not proven true in other countries that have gone the legalization route.
The black market there has by no means vanished into thin air.
In addition, in Canada and the USA in particular, there is evidence of an increase in consumption and immediate consequences - for example with regard to poisonings and hospitalizations among children and young people.
Nothing has improved at all.
Cannabis from a controlled source: doesn't that protect users?
The black market will always make offers that are lower-threshold and cheaper than those offered by the growing associations.
There are no signs for us as to why anything would improve.
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Proponents of legalization argue that consumption loses its appeal as soon as taboos are removed.
The opposite will happen.
Consumption will increase because many people will believe: Cannabis can't be that bad if the state allows it.
This is an official stamp for the drug.
The hope that consumption will decrease will not be realized - we also see this in the countries that have already legalized cannabis.
Some studies come to the conclusion that alcohol is significantly more harmful than cannabis - but beer is still more than accepted, especially in Bavaria.
Isn't that a contradiction?
Alcohol should not be trivialized at all.
But it doesn't help anyone if we bring another drug onto the market with serious health risks, especially for young people.
They say the traffic lights trivialize cannabis.
What would she gain from it?
It is difficult to say why the federal government does not listen to the warnings from doctors, for example.
Maybe some traffic light people are blinded by their own legalization ideology, or maybe they want to distract from the other failures in their politics.
One thing is clear: the prioritization is simply wrong.
To stay in the health sector: We have serious problems in care, everyone is waiting for a reform.
I have often been asked why someone cannot find a foster home for their parents.
Other common questions include: Will the rural hospital remain in place?
Is there still cough syrup for my child this winter?
These are the really important issues.