Before the vote in the Federal Council: Green Party members warn that cannabis legalization will fail

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Cannabis plants ready for harvest

Photo: Christian Charisius / dpa

Shortly before the discussion on the planned cannabis legalization in the Federal Council, dozens of Greens are worried that the proposed law could still fail. “Continuing to maintain the status quo would be the worst solution,” says an open letter from around 170 party members to Greens in government responsibility in the federal states.

The letter ends with an appeal to Green party members in the state governments: “Make the right decision and advocate for the cannabis law to come into force on April 1st of this year.” Among the signatories are some members of the party’s state parliament.

The background is the Greens' fears that the state chamber could vote on Friday to call a mediation committee on the cannabis law. Legalization is one of the traffic light coalition's central election promises; the Greens in particular have been campaigning for a defusing of the current drug policy for years.

However, representatives of the Union had already threatened a blockade in the Federal Council. For example, Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) wrote on

»Neither the big hit, nor free of defects«

The Greens apparently also see this danger. The present law is “neither a great success nor is it free from defects,” it says in the letter. "Giving the future of this law to a mediation committee influenced by the CDU could be the death knell for the entire law," warn the signatories. »Our approval is crucial for our credibility and our role as a champion of progressive drug policy.«

The Bundestag had already voted with the majority of the traffic light factions in favor of the law drawn up by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD). From April 1st, cultivation and possession of certain amounts of cannabis should be permitted for adults. Before the law comes into force, it must go before the Federal Council on March 22nd. The states do not have to agree for it to come into force - it is a so-called objection law.

Nevertheless, the states can delay the proposed law by appealing to the mediation committee of the Bundestag and Bundesrat. This committee has 16 members from each of the two constitutional bodies. A compromise must then be found.

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