https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Germany is renowned for its social safety net and for welcoming refugees in 2015. But just how liberal or conservative are Germans about certain hot-button issues – from dual citizenship to cannabis legalisation, abortion and guns? https://www.thelocal.de/20230110/how-conservative-or-liberal-are-germans Tue, 10 Jan 2023 15:10:44 +0100 how-conservative-or-liberal-are-germans On a special episode of Germany’s popular satirical “Heute Show”, Karl Lauterbach admitted to having smoked weed and came out personally in favour of legalisation - having previously spoken out against it. https://www.thelocal.de/20220817/german-health-minister-lays-out-next-steps-for-cannabis-legalisation Wed, 17 Aug 2022 11:13:53 +0200 german-health-minister-lays-out-next-steps-for-cannabis-legalisation Amsterdam may soon have a rival as the European capital of cannabis, with Germany's next government planning to legalise recreational use of the drug. https://www.thelocal.de/20211124/controlled-distribution-germany-to-legalise-recreational-cannabis Wed, 24 Nov 2021 19:55:56 +0100 controlled-distribution-germany-to-legalise-recreational-cannabis This Sunday, medical marijuana will have been legal for two years in Germany. But patients are still facing supply shortages, high prices and societal taboos. Is this changing? https://www.thelocal.de/20190308/two-years-since-legalization-germans-still-face-hurdles-accessing-medical-marijuana Fri, 08 Mar 2019 15:25:40 +0100 two-years-since-legalization-germans-still-face-hurdles-accessing-medical-marijuana Since medical marijuana was legalized in Germany in March last year, an increasing number of patients are being prescribed the drug. But the healthcare industry has been less enthusiastic about the boom and many questions have gone unanswered. https://www.thelocal.de/20180308/one-year-of-medical-marijuana-in-germany Thu, 08 Mar 2018 13:34:59 +0100 one-year-of-medical-marijuana-in-germany It didn't help that he tried to pin the blame on a stranger in Norway. An 83-year-old German's drug trafficking career ended abruptly after he got his car stuck on a golf course in Sweden. https://www.thelocal.de/20180306/german-drug-peddler-83-busted-in-sweden-after-golf-course-mishap-norway-oslo Tue, 06 Mar 2018 12:56:21 +0100 german-drug-peddler-83-busted-in-sweden-after-golf-course-mishap-norway-oslo There's long been talk of fully legalizing cannabis in Germany, especially in the capital of Berlin. But how close is Deutschland to actually making marijuana mainstream? Here's a look at the basic facts. https://www.thelocal.de/20180216/five-things-to-know-about-weed-in-germany-420-marijuana Fri, 16 Feb 2018 17:28:38 +0100 five-things-to-know-about-weed-in-germany-420-marijuana The Association of German Criminal Officers (BDK) has spoken out in favour of ending the ban on cannabis and has called for the decriminalization of all use of the drug. https://www.thelocal.de/20180205/german-police-association-calls-for-end-to-cannabis-ban Mon, 05 Feb 2018 10:53:13 +0100 german-police-association-calls-for-end-to-cannabis-ban Is it logical that you can have your driving licence taken away if you smoke weed for fun, but those who take it as medicine are free to judge their own ability to drive? Not really, say several experts. https://www.thelocal.de/20180123/how-some-people-are-allowed-to-be-stoned-at-the-wheel-in-germany Tue, 23 Jan 2018 11:09:05 +0100 how-some-people-are-allowed-to-be-stoned-at-the-wheel-in-germany More and more people in Germany are applying for prescription cannabis and receiving reimbursements from their health insurance company, according to a media report published on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20180110/medical-marijuana-in-high-demand-with-over-13000-applications-report Wed, 10 Jan 2018 16:31:50 +0100 medical-marijuana-in-high-demand-with-over-13000-applications-report The Munich Police Headquarters have reimbursed a medicinal cannabis patient after two officers insulted him and made the cannabis in his possession unusable. https://www.thelocal.de/20171213/munich-police-reimburse-pot-smoker-for-destroyed-joint Wed, 13 Dec 2017 18:28:52 +0100 munich-police-reimburse-pot-smoker-for-destroyed-joint After the legalization of medical marijuana in Germany in March, patients have been met with high prices, supply shortages and persistent taboos. Could domestic growing possibilities help? https://www.thelocal.de/20171114/medical-cannabis-cultivation-could-germany-be-the-next-canada-or-netherlands Tue, 14 Nov 2017 10:07:39 +0100 medical-cannabis-cultivation-could-germany-be-the-next-canada-or-netherlands 63 percent of German citizens are opposed to the legalization of marijuana, a new survey released by research institute Forsa has found. https://www.thelocal.de/20171113/63-percent-of-germans-are-against-cannabis-legalization-survey-shows Mon, 13 Nov 2017 11:15:15 +0100 63-percent-of-germans-are-against-cannabis-legalization-survey-shows Henricus Pillardy tells The Local how he ran for mayor in small-town Hesse to legalize weed and earn a lavish salary. But the 23-year-old went on trial on Thursday accused of misleading voters and inciting hatred. Where did it all go wrong? https://www.thelocal.de/20170921/satirical-mayoral-candidate-taken-to-court-over-racial-comments-and-voter-deception Thu, 21 Sep 2017 17:23:22 +0200 satirical-mayoral-candidate-taken-to-court-over-racial-comments-and-voter-deception Social Democrat (SPD) leader Martin Schulz announced on Tuesday that he would allow a free vote on cannabis consumption. Now the government’s drug commissar has reacted angrily. https://www.thelocal.de/20170907/merkel-rival-schulz-pledges-free-vote-on-cannabis-legalization-angering-conservatives Thu, 07 Sep 2017 17:39:59 +0200 merkel-rival-schulz-pledges-free-vote-on-cannabis-legalization-angering-conservatives A teenager in southern Germany suspected his mum of growing weed in their garden. After doing a bit of internet research, he decided to alert the law. https://www.thelocal.de/20170905/13-year-old-dobs-in-mum-to-cops-over-cannabis-crop-in-garden Tue, 05 Sep 2017 13:13:10 +0200 13-year-old-dobs-in-mum-to-cops-over-cannabis-crop-in-garden A research initiative hopes to get approval for a study that would recruit 25,000 recreational cannabis consumers in Berlin - if it can get government approval. https://www.thelocal.de/20170425/researchers-want-to-recruit-25000-berlin-weed-smokers-for-study-marijuana-cannabis Tue, 25 Apr 2017 16:56:11 +0200 researchers-want-to-recruit-25000-berlin-weed-smokers-for-study-marijuana-cannabis Marijuana is the most-consumed illegal drug in Germany, but as of this month cannabis now has expanded medical and legal allowances. And this makes doctors as well as patients happy. https://www.thelocal.de/20170303/doctors-rejoice-as-germany-kicks-off-medical-marijuana-prescriptions Fri, 03 Mar 2017 12:04:30 +0100 doctors-rejoice-as-germany-kicks-off-medical-marijuana-prescriptions As Germany gets ready to implement a new medical marijuana law, the government apparently needs some drug experts to help with its distribution system. https://www.thelocal.de/20170206/germany-govt-searches-drug-dealers-distribute-medical-pot-weed Mon, 06 Feb 2017 18:03:10 +0100 germany-govt-searches-drug-dealers-distribute-medical-pot-weed A growing trend of doing drugs at school has German officials concerned about society's "downplaying" of the risks of certain drugs. https://www.thelocal.de/20170123/why-are-more-german-teens-doing-drugs-at-school Mon, 23 Jan 2017 12:42:43 +0100 why-are-more-german-teens-doing-drugs-at-school