Oktoberfesters in a drunken frenzy
Lauterbach counters Bavaria’s “hypocrisy” on cannabis
25.05.2024, 21:24
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The legalization of cannabis is controversial. There is particular political opposition from the south. Health Minister Lauterbach criticizes the Bavarian attempts to ban it. In his eyes, a joint hardly plays a role when people are drinking themselves senseless at the Oktoberfest.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has accused the CSU-led state government in Bavaria of hypocrisy when it comes to intoxicants such as cannabis and alcohol. When asked about numerous bans on public smoking of weed, such as at the Munich Oktoberfest, the SPD politician said in Berlin that this makes politics very implausible. “On the one hand, it acts as if federal laws do not apply in Bavaria. And that is not the case – 75 years after the Basic Law.”
“Secondly: the key word is hypocrisy. If you work with beer mugs of this size and people are so drunk that they can no longer make their way to the toilet on their own, then the drunks are basically lying in the dirt, if you like, then in my view the odd joint would no longer matter,” said Lauterbach to applause from his audience. The Health Minister, together with Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir, answered questions from citizens about cannabis at the democracy festival marking 75 years of the Basic Law.
The CSU-led state government in Bavaria had strongly opposed the cannabis law until it came into force on April 1. Since then, it has been creating more and more bans on cannabis consumption in public spaces, such as at folk festivals. It also pushed ahead with a catalogue of fines.
No free sale, no taxes
Lauterbach made it clear that no taxes would be levied on cannabis – unlike tobacco or alcohol. “That is not planned.” They had long considered whether cannabis could be sold in shops like cigarettes. But that is not possible under European law. In addition, marketing would create an incredible market, which is not what they want.
A cooperative model was therefore chosen for the cultivation associations. The cooperatives only grow cannabis for their members’ own use, make no profits and pay no taxes. “Our colleague Lindner – that hurt us particularly because we value him very much – our colleague Lindner is getting nothing,” Lauterbach joked in the direction of Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner.