The Federal Government Commissioner on Narcotic Drugs, Burkhard Blienert, wants to take stricter action against alcohol and tobacco advertising as well as gambling, reports MDR aktuell.  

Blienert said in Berlin that a rethink is necessary in drug and addiction policy. Hardly any other European country has such a liberal approach to alcohol and tobacco as Germany. More youth protection and advertising bans are needed, he said. “Get out of social media, the internet, get out of TV and radio, preferably around the clock, but at least during prime time.” Likewise, he wants to ban colourful advertising images for cigarettes, HNB devices and e-cigarettes on kiosks, in supermarkets and petrol stations.

At the same time, Blienert defended the plans of the coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP to legalise cannabis. He prefers standardised cannabis from shops to contaminated cannabis from the black market. He said that stricter rules for legal drugs and cannabis legalisation are not contradictory and cannabis would not become a new problem.

According to the plans of Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), adults are to be allowed to possess 20 to 30 grammes of the drug without penalty and to grow cannabis themselves to a limited extent. The sale of cannabis is to be controlled by the state. For those under 18, possession and consumption of cannabis will remain prohibited, but will no longer be prosecuted.

Blienert announced a concrete draft law by the end of March. At the same time, the EU Commission is examining the bill because it is not clear whether and how the plans are compatible with EU law.