Cannabis Legalization in Germany: A Few Comments on Selected Cornerstones of the Proposed Regulatory Framework from an Interna- tional Scientific Perspective

Objective: Germany acute accent s federal government has decided to legalize the non-medical use and supply of cannabis, and presented core elements of the proposed regulation framework. Select core regulatory details are being assessed and commented on from a viewpoint of inter-national scientific evidence and experiences in regard to cannabis legalization, with a principal focus on efforts and objectives of public health. Methods: Select summary and policy-analytical application of scientific evidence. Results: A substantial proportion of cannabis-related health problems is associated with the use of high-potency (THC) products; however, categorical THC-limits for legally available cannabis would over -all be unlikely to reduce the total of these adverse outcomes, but rather retain many high-risk users involved in illegal supply systems. The mini-mum legal age of 18 years for legal cannabis appears to primarily reflect political considerations, and does not necessarily reflect optimal health or social protection efforts for young users; notwithstanding, cannabis use among youth will likely remain high. A cross-substance, public-health-oriented integration of regulatory restrictions with those for other substances (e. g., alcohol) would make sense. Driving under cannabis impairment is relatively common, and increases the risk for related injury and death, and consequentially results in substantial bur-den of disease; its control requires targeted education and deterrence measures. Cannabis legalization is generally difficult to reconcile with seminal international (e. g., UN) conventions; rather, it should be used as impetus to advocate for fundamental reforms of these treaties on the basis of public health principles and their protection. Conclusions: There are no golden recipes for the regulations for cannabis legalization in Germany; some of its core objectives will only be achievable by way of compromise approaches, which may need to be adjusted depending on outcomes experienced. Once implemented, Germany will be able to offer valuable data on cannabis legalization as a policy option, for which systematic and comprehensive process and outcome monitoring will need to be conducted.