Karl Lauterbach

The ambitious Pillar 2 plan—central to Germany’s cannabis legalization strategy—faces potential abandonment due to mounting political and bureaucratic challenges. Key pilot projects for the controlled sale of adult-use cannabis are now at risk, driven by political shifts within Germany and...

On Monday, July 8, Germany opened its first cannabis social club, just about one week after the law allowing these places took effect. Lower Saxony Minister of Agriculture Miriam Staudte announced that the permit was awarded by her office to Social Club Ganderkesee. The news comes some two months...

It was no April's Fool joke when cannabis legalization in Germany took effect a week ago. Even though the partial excitement marks significant progress and is exciting, lawmakers are eager to see the second phase happen.  The "second pillar" is planned for after the decriminalization bill, and...

Nearly a month after the German Bundestag approved partial cannabis legalization on a final floor vote, the Bundesrat followed suit and approved the new law, reported Deutsche Welle. Members of Germany's upper house, passed a law on Friday without calling in a mediation committee, making possession...

Over the last several years, Europe has become more open-minded about medical and recreational marijuana. Here are some of the latest cannabis developments from Switzerland, Germany and the Czech Republic. Switzerland: The Country's Largest Cannabis Study To Date Launches In Zurich  The Canton...

Following Germany’s recent partial cannabis legalization, Justice Ministers from various states joined together to push for postponing its enactment from April 1 to October, according to a statement made by Lower Saxony’s Justice Minister Kathrin Wahlmann, reported Apotheke Adhoc....

The Bundestag approved partial cannabis legalization in a final floor vote on Friday, making Germany the third country in Europe to legalize adult-use marijuana after Malta and Luxembourg.  Under Germany’s partial cannabis legalization, known as the CanG bill, cannabis will be removed from...

The German parliament is gearing up for a decisive week as at least eight committees are poised to review a comprehensive bill aimed at legalizing cannabis. The deliberations, scheduled for Wednesday, precede the final vote scheduled for Friday. If passed, this bill could mark a crucial moment in...

The cannabis legalization bill in Germany, which has been placed on the legislative agenda for the week of February 19, has marijuana advocates hopeful that the reform is on track and that weed will be legal on April 1. The vote in the Finance Committee on Wednesday needs to be followed up with...

Dr. Klaus Reinhardt, the president of the Bundesärztekammer (German Medical Association), is against marijuana legalization in the country. Reinhardt recently said he hopes the proposed cannabis reform won't be enacted as it is among the most unnecessary proposals, writes Cannabiz EU, citing an...

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach says he is optimistic that marijuana legalization will be approved by the Bundestag in February and become law in April. His comments come shortly after the legalization measure was attacked by various members of the governing coalition.  What happened: ...

Germany’s pivotal vote on legalizing marijuana, initially slated for this week, has been postponed until next year. This delay, prompted by the Social Democratic Party (SPD)’s concerns, marks another setback in the country’s journey towards legalization. The postponement follows...

German lawmakers are expecting a recently revised version of the marijuana legalization measure to bring about the long-awaited policy change in the coming spring. As members of the national parliament are set to vote next week on a measure that would legalize the use and cultivation of...

Germany’s federal parliament, the Bundestag, debated for the first time a draft legislation from the Federal Government that would regulate and legalize cannabis. The meeting, postponed last Friday, gave enough time to the bill’s opponents to propose measures that...

Germany’s federal cabinet approved marijuana legalization bill on Wednesday sending it to the legislature for consideration, reported Reuters.  The approval comes on the heels of the annual cannabis legalization protest in Berlin held on Saturday, gathering hundreds...