Germany’s Cabinet approves a plan to liberalize rules on cannabis possession and sale

By GEIR MOULSON
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s Cabinet has approved a plan to liberalize rules on cannabis, setting the scene for the European Union’s most populous nation to decriminalize possession of limited amounts and allow members of “cannabis clubs” to buy the substance for recreational purposes. The legislation is billed as the first step in a two-part plan and will still need approval by parliament. But the government’s approval Wednesday is a stride forward for a prominent reform project of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s socially liberal coalition, though significantly short of the government’s original ambitions. The plan foresees legalizing possession of up to 25 grams (nearly 1 ounce) of cannabis for recreational purposes and allowing individuals to grow up to three plants on their own.