MUNICH (dpa-AFX) - The Bavarian state government has sharply attacked the federal government's new plans for the partial legalization of cannabis products and wants to prevent legalization in the Free State if possible. Minister President Markus Söder (CSU) called the plan an "aberration" on Twitter. Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) said, "The traffic light coalition is now trying spasmodically to find loopholes for its ideological legalization project with legal dodges." Health risks would be played down.

Holetschek called the argument that legalization would lead to more protection for young people a "bad joke." Economy Minister Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) wrote sarcastically on Twitter, "Finally station dealers can pack bigger packages for youth u police can stay home."

According to current expert assessments, there are legal objections to the planned introduction of model regions. "These "scientific" model projects aim to establish a state distribution system for cannabis - and thus a practice that is clearly prohibited under international law. They are an attempt to circumvent these requirements of international law. These model projects are also incompatible with European law," Holetschek explained. Bavaria will analyze exactly how to prevent the legalization of cannabis in Bavaria.

The youth organizations of the FDP and SPD in Bavaria, on the other hand, applauded. The Young Liberals demanded that there should also be model regions in Bavaria. The Jusos called on the municipalities to enable a model project in Munich and to make urban areas available for so-called social clubs. "Even if we actually want full legalization, the current announcement by Karl Lauterbach is a good first step," the SPD youth organization said.

The plans of the federal government provide that in Germany in the future the possession of a maximum of 25 grams of cannabis and the self-cultivation of a maximum of three plants should be exempt from punishment. In addition, the federal government wants to allow the cultivation and distribution of the drug in special associations. The originally planned free sale of cannabis for adults in specialized stores is to be tested only in a second step and initially in model regions with scientific support./dm/DP/men