https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68674813 This seems to be an ongoing trend in the developed world, I personally think misuse of Cannabis is a major factor in mental health issues. I have used it as a younger man, I know the effects. Legalisation of it seems crazy to me and I hope it doesn’t happen in the UK. From the BBC report: Some German people drink their beer after work. We just want to smoke our weed." So says Marcel Ritschel who's celebrating as Germany - traditionally "beer land" - becomes a more cannabis-friendly country. Germany has, as of 1 April, partly decriminalised marijuana use. But police unions are warning of real-world harm. The law-change may have come on April Fool's Day but for them it is no joke. We meet Marcel Ritschel in the Neustadt area in Dresden, the heart of the city's alternative scene. Here, as in other places, it wasn't hard to find people openly smoking joints even before the rules were relaxed. That's one of the arguments behind decriminalisation; millions of people were smoking the stuff anyway. It will help kill the black market and improve quality control - say supporters. What are the new rules? From 1 April Over 18s can possess up to 25g of cannabis in public Adults can grow up to three plants, per household But people won't be allowed to smoke joints within sight of schools, sports centres or in "pedestrian zones" between 7:00 and 20:00 From 1 July Growers associations or "social clubs" can be established with up to 500 members Members must be over 18 and live in Germany The clubs can grow and distribute the drug on a strictly not-for-profit basis Consuming the drug on site will not be allowed
It's a step in the right direction, but it isn't optimal by itself. Supply side control efforts against drugs don't work. Having it illegal to use just funnels more people into a life of crime. One should take the example of tobacco in America as to what works. Tobacco is very harmful to health, but that doesn't mean making it illegal would solve the problem. Rather, the problem in America was made much better through people gaining a better understanding of just how harmful it is. So things like requiring labeling as a carcinogen, public education campaigns, and the like helped tobacco to fall out of favor. The bad thing about legalization is it could send the message that the substance isn't so harmful after all. So legalization should be accompanied by a campaign that says this isn't actually a harmless thing to do, we just think having it illegal does more harm than good.
Evidently, Germany's left wing have decided that they weren't doing enough for China, and have chosen to provide China with an ever expanding revenue stream to supplement what they already tolerate for harder drugs. Is the hope that Germans will be more inclined after pot legalization to consume harder and more profitable drugs that China supplies?
