VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - The UN Drug Control Board (INCB) has drawn the German government's attention to the incompatibility between the planned legalization of cannabis and existing international regulations. According to the INCB's annual report on Tuesday, the body pointed out that the use of cannabis is only permitted for medical and scientific purposes under the UN Drug Convention of 1961. Another UN convention from 1988 stipulates that the cultivation, production and distribution of the drug for other purposes must be prohibited by law.
The Vienna-based INCB consists of 13 experts. They monitor compliance with the global drug conventions, to which Germany has also committed itself. In view of the international trend towards the legalization of cannabis, the board insists that the release of cannabis is not legally possible. At the same time, however, the experts emphasized that countries can decriminalize possession and consumption by focusing on help, education and social reintegration instead of convictions and penalties.
According to the law passed by the Bundestag, the possession and cultivation of cannabis is to become legal with numerous requirements for adults for personal use. The law will be finally passed by the Bundesrat on March 22. It does not require approval, but the chamber of the federal states could appeal to the mediation committee and slow down the process.
In addition to criticism from medical associations, legal experts and domestic politicians, objections have also been raised from the federal states that legalization and the associated changes should take effect as early as 1 April. Most recently, the CDU and CSU had argued that Germany was violating European and European law with legalization./al/DP/stw
