German Cannabis Business Association
Bavaria again calls for complete reversal of cannabis legalization
2025-12-31 | Augsburger Allgemeine reports on renewed calls by Bavarian Health Minister Judith Gerlach for a fundamental policy shift by the federal government in dealing with cannabis. Gerlach stated that legalization for consumption purposes, particularly with regard to health and youth protection, was a mistake that must be corrected in 2026. The Free State therefore insists on a complete rollback of the current regulations. While the CSU had already advocated this position during the election campaign, the Union and the SPD left the exact future handling of partial legalization open in their coalition agreement of the black-red federal government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, according to Tagesspiegel.
Independently of federal policy, Bavaria intends to strengthen addiction prevention through restrictive enforcement of the law and new educational projects. According to Gerlach, the Free State plans to expand the Mindzone project in 2026 to provide more information about the dangers of cannabis at universities. In addition, a smartphone app is under development to educate young people about drug risks in a playful way. Support for a more restrictive line also comes from the Federal Government Commissioner for Addiction and Drug Issues, Hendrik Streeck. Speaking to Tagesspiegel, he criticized clear misdevelopments and called for a clear separation between consumer and medical cannabis. The sharp rise in import volumes and the increase in telemedicine prescriptions without personal doctor contact were particularly problematic. “I do not want dealers in white coats legitimizing themselves through telemedicine loopholes,” Streeck said.
