The federal cabinet approved Lauterbach's plans on Wednesday, which allow the purchase and possession of "up to a maximum amount of 20 to 30 grams of recreational cannabis for personal consumption in private and public spaces". Private cultivation should be allowed to a limited extent. The sale should go in special shops with expertise on the stage.

According to Peglow, one of the unanswered questions is how police officers should know during a stop whether the cannabis found was bought legally. In addition, the protection of minors must be guaranteed. According to the BDK boss, illegal dealers would increasingly focus on young people as customers if adults could buy legally. "These are things that need to be clarified before legislation is passed."

According to Peglow, police resources that would be freed up through legalization should be used to fight organized drug crime. The illegal trade is currently "a business worth hundreds of millions of euros a year," he said. "Those who run this business will not simply give that up," said the BDK boss.

The professional association of paediatricians, on the other hand, warned of the planned legalization of cannabis. "Regular cannabis consumption can cause irreparable brain damage in adolescents and young adults, up to and including a permanent limitation of intellectual performance and social skills," said association leader Thomas Fischbach of the Düsseldorf "Rheinische Post" (Thursday). The protective measures for under 21-year-olds should be significantly stricter than for older adults, he demanded.