Merz Allies Urge End to German Cannabis Legalization: Augsburger

OG Article

By Alexey Anishchuk

March 30, 2025 at 7:00 PM PDT

Two senior members of the German conservative CDU/CSU bloc led by Friedrich Merz are demanding a reversal of the legalization of cannabis last year by the outgoing Socialist SPD-led “traffic light” coalition, the Augsburger Allgemeine reported, a reminder of a divisive issue that could sour talks about a new coalition government.

“We want to reverse the mistake of the ‘traffic light’ and ban cannabis again,” Bavarian Health Minister Joachim Herrmann told the newspaper. The southern region’s Health Minister Judith Gerlach also criticized the legalization of cannabis for recreational purposes, saying the measure should be “withdrawn quickly and completely,” the paper reported.