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A few months before the general election, there are signs of a change of course in drug policy.
The main issue here is the legalization of cannabis use.
Cannabis is the most popular drug in this country. In the drug and addiction report of the federal government from last year, it is said that 46.4 percent of 18 to 25-year-olds have already consumed cannabis. While this is allowed, it is forbidden to buy, own, sell or grow cannabis products. A violation can be punished with a fine or in the most serious case with up to 15 years in prison. Since 2017, doctors in Germany have been allowed to prescribe cannabis as a drug.
A few months before the Bundestag elections, the Union parties are now alone with their previously represented prohibition - when it comes to the parties that are eligible for a coalition after the Bundestag elections in autumn.
The CDU always points out the health risks and long-term consequences.
But the prohibition line could fall this year in the course of possible coalition negotiations.
And should the Union no longer participate in the future government, legalization in the other possible coalition constellations would be firmly on the agenda.
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So the previous coalition partner of the Union is already changing its line. "The party program for the election is not yet final, but according to the current status it provides for a realignment of drug policy and especially the issue of cannabis legalization," says Dirk Heidenblut, reporter for the SPD parliamentary group, WELT. The SPD had previously shown itself to be loyal to the coalition, with the exception of individual advances from the regional associations, and supported the Union's course. Now she wants to get closer to legalizing cannabis.
In their revised election platform, the Social Democrats are calling for the regulated distribution of cannabis to adults in model projects.
This should be accompanied by prevention and counseling measures for young people.
In addition, it should be regulated nationwide that the possession of small amounts of cannabis is no longer criminally prosecuted.
"Bans and criminalization have not reduced consumption, they stand in the way of effective addiction prevention and protection of minors and tie up enormous resources in the judiciary and the police," says the program.
CDU isolates itself with a ban
The fact that the coalition partner is getting closer to the liberalization course of the Greens, the Left and the FDP puts the CDU and CSU under pressure to rethink their position.
Individual politicians had shown themselves to be open-minded for a long time.
They even appeared in a rare alliance with the Greens.
In 2015, for example, Joachim Pfeiffer (CDU) and Dieter Janecek (Greens) called for a state-regulated market for cannabis.
They named the abolition of the uncontrolled black market and additional tax revenues of up to two billion euros per year as advantages.
"The curiosity about this addictive substance seems to be great"
Less alcohol and cigarette consumption among adolescents, this is shown by the latest drug affinity study by the Federal Center for Health Education.
But cannabis is still by far the most widely used illegal substance.
Source: WORLD / Alina Quast.
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CDU domestic politician Marian Wendt spoke out in 2019 in favor of enabling the controlled release of cannabis for personal use.
Julian Brüning, CDU member of the Brandenburg state parliament, called for cannabis to be legalized in January.
“This topic will certainly play a role in the federal election campaign.
Therefore I would like to initiate a debate in the Union at an early stage, ”said Brüning, who is the chairman of the Junge Union (JU) Brandenburg.
"The Union has a clear stance on cannabis," said the drug commissioner for the federal government, Daniela Ludwig (CSU), when asked by WELT.
“When it comes to political competition, it is not entirely clear what exactly is wanted.
Legalization and decriminalization are often confused with each other. ”To explain: Decriminalization means abolishing criminality, but legalization would allow trade.
On Monday, the CSU politician rejected the relaxation of cannabis possession planned by the Greens and CDU in Baden-Württemberg.
"I don't think much of the planned increase in personal consumption to ten grams," said Ludwig of the dpa.
With ten grams you could roll 20 to 30 joints.
“That has very little to do with personal use.” Up until now, the limit in Baden-Württemberg was six grams.
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But Ludwig also shows that she is ready for a discussion.
Shortly after her appointment in 2019, she spoke out in favor of a “fresh start”.
WELT she said: "From my point of view, the topic should not be limited to a ban or legalization debate."
The JU also seems to be turning away from the strict ban policy.
"In the JU Germany, the legalization of cannabis is controversial," says Federal Managing Director Antonia Haufler when asked by WELT.
At the past JU federal meetings, the so-called Germany Days, applications for legalization were rejected by a narrow majority.
The fact that legalization is being discussed at all shows that the attitude of the young organization is changing.
It remains to be seen whether the parent CDU party will deviate from the prohibition course for the election campaign;
the election program is not yet available.
"Drug policy must be based on scientific findings"
But the Greens as a possible coalition partner are clear.
As a determined advocate of legalization, the eco party presented the draft for its election manifesto.
A cannabis control law is enshrined in it, which provides for the lifting of the cannabis ban and the controlled sale in licensed specialist shops.
“The ban on cannabis does more harm than good.
We focus on effective prevention, on decriminalization and self-determination, ”says the draft program.
"More and more voices from addiction support and prevention, but also from the police, are advocating a different regulation of cannabis," says Kirsten Kappert-Gonther, drug policy spokeswoman for the Green parliamentary group.
“Other countries like Portugal or Canada are much further ahead than Germany.
In the Bundestag it is becoming more and more important that drug policy must be based on scientific knowledge. "
The FDP has also been campaigning for a relaxed approach to cannabis for years.
He hopes that after the federal election there will be a majority who will responsibly implement a controlled dispensing of cannabis, says Wieland Schinnenburg, drug policy spokesman for the FDP.
The left also wants legalization.
"This is the only way we can achieve real consumer and health protection," said Niema Movassat, drug policy spokesman for the party, when asked by WELT.
“If this cannot be achieved, we are also prepared to take part in intermediate steps.” The party had introduced a compromise proposal to the Bundestag calling for consumers to be decriminalized “in order to end at least the worst injustice”.
What is certain is that the AfD still represents a strict line, as a spokesman explains.
Instead of thinking about legalization, there should be serious considerations about how consistently and harshly to crack down on illegal imports and trade.