German Coalition Parties Announce Plans To Evaluate—But Not Repeal—The Country’s Marijuana Legalization Law

Für alle denen das wichtig war: #CanG bleibt!

— Carmen Wegge (@CarmenWegge) April 9, 2025

Koalitionsvertrag zwischen CDU/CSU und SPD zu Cannabis: "Im Herbst 2025 führen wir eine ergebnisoffene Evaluierung des Gesetzes zur Legalisierung von Cannabis durch."

Also wird das CanG erstmal nicht zurückgedreht! 🔥#NieWiederKriminellhttps://t.co/wtG4V35CUC

— Hanfverband (@hanfverband) April 9, 2025

Former DEA And HHS Officials Suggest Marijuana Rescheduling Could Be Delayed Indefinitely If Trump Doesn’t Proactively Support It

Politicians Tout Marijuana Policy Progress On 4/20 Amid Heightened Expectations About Federal Reform

Public officials across the U.S. are adding their voices to the chorus of marijuana reform supporters celebrating the cannabis holiday 4/20 on Saturday. That includes members of Congress, state legislators and even the president and vice president.

As mainstream brands and advocacy groups promote various campaigns that seek to leverage the popularity of the expanding reform movement, elected officials are touting their work to advance legalization and other policy changes around cannabis.

Saturday might be a time of celebration within the cannabis community, but politicians have increasingly used it as a platform to advocate for more reform as the issue gains more bipartisan support.

Officials at various levels of government are again playing into the culture and using 4/20 to talk about marijuana policy—underscoring how the legalization movement has helped shift cannabis from a controversial taboo to an accepted societal norm.

This year’s holiday also comes amid heightened expectations about federal marijuana reform, as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) works to complete a review into cannabis scheduling under President Joe Biden’s 2022 directive.

DEA is considered a recommendation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which wouldn’t federally legalize marijuana, but industry stakeholders are eagerly anticipating the potential incremental reform nonetheless.

Advocates and congressional lawmakers have amplified their push for reform in the days leading up to 4/20, with calls to advance comprehensive legalization, as well as modest proposals to free up banks to work with state-legal marijuana businesses, for example.

For what it’s worth, Congressional Cannabis Caucus founding co-chair Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) predicts that this Saturday will be the “last 4/20 celebration that cannabis will be on Schedule I.”

Here’s what politicians are saying on 4/20 this year:

Members of Congress and national politicians

Sending people to prison just for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit.

It’s time that we right these wrongs. pic.twitter.com/0avI1FmWf9

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 20, 2024

Nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed.

We must continue to change our nation’s approach to marijuana while reforming the justice system so it finally lives up to its name. pic.twitter.com/AJFmexf8a3

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) April 20, 2024

Happy 420 pic.twitter.com/v5QDGa1s21

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) April 20, 2024

Legalizing marijuana won’t just get people out of jail and back to work — it can actually help solve America’s drug addiction problem.#Happy420#rfkjr#KennedyShanahan2024pic.twitter.com/JJfondiNEB

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) April 20, 2024

I was so proud to meet with the Marijuana Justice Coalition as we work to reintroduce the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act in the Senate!

We will not stop working together to end the federal prohibition on cannabis and reverse the harms of the War on Drugs. pic.twitter.com/2pQI0iJcVt

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 20, 2024

The failed War on Drugs continues to be a war on people. We need to pass comprehensive cannabis reform that includes restorative justice.

— Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) April 20, 2024

Happy 4/20.

We need to legalize marijuana at the federal level.

— Sherrod Brown (@SherrodBrown) April 20, 2024

It’s not justice to lock up kids caught with an ounce of pot, while hedge fund managers make millions off of the legal sale of marijuana. It’s time for the federal government to legalize cannabis and tackle the legacy of unjust marijuana policy.

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) April 20, 2024

Happy 4/20! Colorado made history and lit up the legal cannabis industry. We set the gold standard, and proved it could be done safely.    I have high hopes for federal legalization, and we won’t stop working until we get there.

— Senator John Hickenlooper (@SenatorHick) April 20, 2024

This 4/20, I’m celebrating the demise of Minnesota Republicans’ shell party, Legal Marijuana Now.

Thanks for nothing — and shoutout to the @MinnesotaDFL for legalization and expungement!

— Tina Smith (@TinaSmithMN) April 20, 2024

Currently, small cannabis biz's are forced to operate w/cash only, making them a serious public safety risk. We need to pass banking reforms like the #SAFEbankingAct, which has passed the House w/bipartisan support multiple times, to help legal cannabis biz's by getting them… pic.twitter.com/26XvZct7q8

— U.S. House Committee on Financial Services (@FSCDems) April 20, 2024

The best way to celebrate 4/20?

Legalizing #cannabis, expunging the records of those imprisoned for using or possessing marijuana, & investing in communities ravaged by the War on Drugs. pic.twitter.com/uz23cNugbP

— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) April 21, 2024

4/20 is a great day to remember @DEAHQ is FINALLY reviewing softening federal #marijuana regs—but not without years of work from yours truly!#Cannabis shouldn't be Schedule 1. More like Schedule 420. I've worked for years to #LegalizeIt federally & won't stop until it's done. pic.twitter.com/TuDiMXW2nV

— Steve Cohen (@RepCohen) April 20, 2024

I'm one of the top advocates for #marijuana legalization in Congress. But on #420day let's remember: as some profit from legalization, thousands of Black men, women & families in my district still suffer from the failed "war on drugs". Legalization should come with justice.

— Steve Cohen (@RepCohen) April 20, 2024

It's no secret that public support for responsible cannabis reform has reached an all-time high. If members of Congress relied on their constituents rather than their personal opinion, they'd see the war over a plant isn't what people want. #StatesReformAct #420 pic.twitter.com/wtDR4rKEko

— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) April 20, 2024

As a reminder: Our bill, the States Reform Act, a common-sense initiative puts states in the driver's seat when it comes to cannabis reform, it protects our kids and military veterans. It now sits in a drawer somewhere in the Capitol. #420https://t.co/zd7ym1eFdspic.twitter.com/hbok53Gxji

— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) April 20, 2024

Cannabis justice is racial justice, economic justice, & restorative justice – and the time to act is NOW.

On this 4/20, we need to legalize marijuana, expunge records, & end the War on Drugs that has ravaged Black & brown communities. pic.twitter.com/e2sUCAKERe

— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) April 20, 2024

When it comes to cannabis justice and the War on Drugs, clemency must be part of the solution.@POTUS must use his clemency authority to end mass incarceration and set our communities on a pathway to healing. pic.twitter.com/mH9FPvLViu

— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) April 20, 2024

This #420day, remember, 🍃No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana. 🍃The cannabis industry is good for our economy & should be equitable

I’m working to bring opportunities to the cannabis industry while helping those harmed by marijuana criminalization…

— Congressman Troy A. Carter (@RepTroyCarter) April 20, 2024

Happy 4/20 to all who celebrate. Today would be a great day for the Biden administration to fully deschedule & legalize marijuana, expunge records, and repair the harms of the failed war on drugs.

— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) April 20, 2024

Happy 4/20! 🌿 Today would be a great day to legalize marijuana, expunge all criminal records for marijuana offenses, & end the racist War on Drugs.

— Congresswoman Cori Bush (@RepCori) April 20, 2024

Good morning! Today would be a GREAT day to decriminalize and legalize marijuana and invest in the communities of color that have been disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs.

— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) April 20, 2024

Legalize cannabis nationwide and expunge records for cannabis-related offenses.

Let’s get it done.

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 20, 2024

It’s high time we legalize cannabis in the United States.

— Rep. Mark Pocan (@RepMarkPocan) April 20, 2024

Let’s be blunt: Sen. Romney’s letter questioning the rescheduling of marijuana doesn’t have a nugget of merit.

It hinges on an outdated court case and its logic implies Tylenol should be regulated under Schedule I.

It’s time for the DEA to deschedule marijuana.

— Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (@RepKamlagerDove) April 20, 2024

It's 4/20, and we are fighting back against the failed war on drugs. pic.twitter.com/B234x6krYF

— Val Hoyle (@RepValHoyle) April 20, 2024

State and local elected officials and political parties

New York is building the nation's most equitable cannabis industry — one that empowers veterans, women, Black & Brown New Yorkers, & those hurt by the war on drugs.   If you’re choosing to celebrate today, visit one of New York's 100+ legal dispensaries: https://t.co/nLcImliKampic.twitter.com/rZ9aFfbJTn

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 20, 2024

Rest assured on this 4/20, amidst recent federal seizures of cannabis from licensed distributors in New Mexico, that my administration is working on a strategy to protect New Mexico’s thriving cannabis industry.#cannabis#economyhttps://t.co/Im9HwCNJLy

— Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) April 20, 2024

To be blunt: we’re proud to have sparked a new industry when we legalized adult-use cannabis.

— JB Pritzker (@JBPritzker) April 20, 2024

Happy canni-versary, New Jersey!

Tomorrow marks two years since the start of adult-use marijuana sales in New Jersey. Over the past year, we have proudly grown from just over 30 dispensaries to 130 dispensaries statewide. pic.twitter.com/9ernW5RfgU

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) April 20, 2024

Happy 420, @SenWarrenLimmer. No one rolls like you do. pic.twitter.com/9dJEje08Vl

— Minnesota DFL Party (@MinnesotaDFL) April 20, 2024

Time to end cannabis prohibition! Free the 🌱. Happy 4/20 https://t.co/ymiCstsfyO

— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) April 20, 2024

Happy 420 day to all those who are celebrating! pic.twitter.com/wTHFOFF1MC

— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) April 20, 2024

International politicians

Heute wünsche ich vor allem viel Freude beim Feiern des ersten legalen #420day! Ab morgen geht der Einsatz weiter für eine rasche Anpassung des THC-Grenzwertes für den Straßenverkehr und die Abgabe von #Cannabis in lizenzierten Fachgeschäften. pic.twitter.com/JUZJaUV10R

— Kirsten Kappert-Gonther (@KirstenKappert) April 20, 2024

Happy 4/20. Das ist der Anfang vom Ende der Stigmatisierung. #CanG

— Carmen Wegge (@CarmenWegge) April 19, 2024

Ahead Of 4/20 White House Says Biden Has Been ‘Very Clear’ In Supporting Marijuana Decriminalization, But Admin Is Awaiting DOJ Rescheduling Action

Germany Marijuana Legalization Law Will Take Effect On Schedule Next Month After Lawmakers Decline To Delay Implementation

A bill to legalize marijuana in Germany will be implemented on schedule in April, with lawmakers representing individual states in the Bundesrat declining to refer the legislation to a mediation committee that would have meant setting back the timeline by six months.

While the Bundestag passed the cannabis legalization measure last month, there were concerns among advocates that the Bundesrat, a body also known as the Federal Council, would vote to recommend the committee referral during a meeting on Friday.

But that did not happen, meaning that the law, which will make possession and home cultivation legal and authorize social clubs that can distribute marijuana to members, will go into effect on April 1.

To prevent the implementation delay, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, who has for months been the government’s lead on the cannabis plan, put forward a “protocol declaration” to the Federal Council ahead of the vote, aiming to address members’ outstanding concerns about issues such as youth prevention, reduced cultivation canopy sizes and zoning requirements for social clubs that could eventually distribute marijuana to adults.

While the protocol declaration that Lauterbach put forward is not legally binding, the strategy ultimately worked, as the body evidently accepted the arrangement and did not vote for the mediation referral.

“The fight was worth it, legalization of cannabis is coming on Easter Monday!” Lauterbach said in a social media post on Friday. “Please use the new opportunity responsibly and help protect children and young people. Hopefully this is the beginning of the end for the black market today.”

Der Kampf hat sich gelohnt, Legalisierung von Cannabis kommt schon Ostermontag! Bitte geht verantwortungsvoll mit der neuen Möglichkeit um, helft beim Schutz von Kindern und Jugendlichen. Für den Schwarzmarkt ist das heute hoffentlich der Anfang vom Ende https://t.co/BOaRoMUx6X

— Prof. Karl Lauterbach (@Karl_Lauterbach) March 22, 2024

There’s was also an agreement to give state regulators additional flexibility with respect to monitoring cannabis social clubs, RND reported.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Volker Wissing of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) is calling for another change to the law by relaxing the zero-tolerance THC limit for impaired driving.

Lawmakers from the three parties that make up Germany’s coalition government cheered the news on Friday that legalization will not be delayed.

“We did it! Prohibition is over!” Green MP Kirsten Kappert-Gonther said “On April 1, 2024, we will make history and, together with the federal states, end the prohibition of #Cannabis, thereby enabling more youth and health protection.”

We did it! Prohibition is over! Zum 1. April 2024 schreiben wir Geschichte und beenden gemeinsam mit den Ländern die Prohibition von #Cannabis und ermöglichen so mehr Jugend- und Gesundheitsschutz.  Danke an alle, die dazu beigetragen haben! #CanG

— Kirsten Kappert-Gonther (@KirstenKappert) March 22, 2024

Carmen Wegge of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) said, “In 10 days cannabis will be legal & the criminalization of millions of people in the country will end. Thank you to everyone who worked on this law.”

Gerade hat der Bundesrat das #Cannabisgesetz passieren lassen. In 10 Tagen ist Cannabis legal & die Kriminalisierung von Millionen Menschen im Land endet. Danke an alle, die an diesem Gesetz gearbeitet haben. Danke @kliemarv, das gesamte Team in der @spdbt & @Karl_Lauterbach! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/jnxjP4fmmm

— Carmen Wegge (@CarmenWegge) March 22, 2024

“On April 1st, we will strengthen the individual freedom of everyone and ensure a paradigm shift in drug policy,” Kristine Lütke of the Free Democratic Party said.

But she added that the work on cannabis reform is not done. “The second pillar of the law must now come in as quickly as possible and thus commercial cultivation in regional model projects and the sale of cannabis in licensed shops,” she said, referring to a planned follow-up bill to allow a more traditional system of commercial marijuana retailers.

Aber das ist uns Freien Demokraten nicht genug: Es muss jetzt auch schnellstmöglich die zweite Säule des Gesetzes kommen und somit der kommerzielle Anbau in regionalen Modellprojekten und der Verkauf von Cannabis in lizensierten Geschäften.

— Kristine Lütke MdB (@kristine_lutke) March 22, 2024

The Bundesrat previously tried to block the proposed reform in September but ultimately failed.

Last month’s floor vote in the Bundestag came weeks after leaders of the coalition government announced that they’d reached a final agreement on the legalization bill, resolving outstanding concerns, primarily from the SPD.

A final Bundestag vote on the legalization bill that was initially planned in December was ultimately called off amid concerns from SPD leaders.

Lawmakers had already delayed their first debate on the legislation, which was ultimately held in October, ostensibly due to the conflict in Israel and Palestine. They also pushed back a vote scheduled for November as supporters worked on improvements to the bill.

At a meeting in December, the health minister took questions from members, some of whom oppose legalization. At several points, he pushed back against lawmakers who suggested that legalization would send the wrong message to youth and lead to increased underage consumption, saying their arguments “misrepresented” the legislation.

Lawmakers also previously made a raft of adjustments to the bill, mostly designed to loosen restrictions that faced opposition from advocates and supporters in the Bundestag. They included increasing home possession maximums and removing the possibility of jail time for possessing slightly more than the allowable limit.

The legislators further agreed to stagger the implementation of the reform, planning to make possession and home cultivation legal for adults beginning in April. Social clubs where members could obtain marijuana would open in July.

Officials are eventually planning to introduce a complementary second measure that would establish pilot programs for commercial sales in cities throughout the country. That legislation is expected to be unveiled after its submitted to the European Commission for review.

—Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,400 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.—

While Germany’s Federal Cabinet approved the initial framework for a legalization measure in late 2022, the government also said it wanted to get signoff from the EU to ensure that enacting the reform wouldn’t put them in violation of their international obligations.

The framework was the product of months of review and negotiations within the German administration and the traffic light coalition government. Officials took a first step toward legalization in 2022, kicking off a series of hearings meant to help inform legislation to end prohibition in the country.

Government officials from multiple countries, including the U.S., also met in Germany last November to discuss international marijuana policy issues as the host nation works to enact legalization.

A group of German lawmakers, as well as Narcotics Drugs Commissioner Burkhard Blienert, separately visited the U.S. and toured California cannabis businesses in 2022 to inform their country’s approach to legalization.

The visit came after top officials from Germany, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands held a first-of-its-kind meeting to discuss plans and challenges associated with recreational marijuana legalization.

Leaders of the coalition government said in 2021 that they had reached an agreement to end cannabis prohibition and enact regulations for a legal industry, and they first previewed certain details of that plan last year.

A novel international survey that was released in 2022 found majority support for legalization in several key European countries, including Germany.

Meanwhile, the United Nations’s (UN) drug control body recently reiterated that it considers legalizing marijuana for non-medical or scientific purposes a violation of international treaties, though it also said it appreciates that Germany’s government scaled back its cannabis plan ahead of the recent vote.

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