82-year-old German marijuana dealer receives ‘final warning’

An eighty-year-old German is dead.

The Associated Press reports that a court in the northern German city of Aurich “has issued a ‘final warning’ to an 82-year-old man to avoid jail time after he was found guilty of drug trafficking despite having 24 criminal records.”

The defendant, who was just a retired seaman, reportedly said he wanted to supplement his meager monthly pension of 800 euros (690 pounds) by selling marijuana and was given a suspended sentence by the Aurich court.

The AP reported, citing the dpa, “that given the man’s long criminal record and an existing suspended sentence, the prosecution had asked the court to issue a 34-month prison sentence,” but the judges “said they would make an exception and.” classify the recent offenses as “less serious offences” due to the man’s particular circumstances and recent health issues.”

“Dpa quoted the presiding judge as telling the defendant it was his ‘final warning’,” according to the Associated Press.

In recent years, Germany has become an important focal point in the European debate on the legalization of cannabis.

After the 2021 state election, when the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) received the most votes, the party formed a coalition with the Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP) to form a new government. Coalition leaders immediately declared that they would press ahead with legalizing marijuana.

“We are introducing the controlled sale of cannabis to adults for use in licensed outlets,” a coalition spokesman said at the time. “This controls the quality, prevents the transmission of contaminated substances and ensures the protection of minors. We will evaluate the law for its social impact after four years.”

Earlier this year, German leaders unveiled the scope of their legalization plans, which were far narrower than their original vision.

In April, the government presented “reduced plans … to liberalize the country’s cannabis regulations, including by decriminalizing possession of limited quantities and allowing members of non-profit ‘cannabis clubs’ to purchase recreational marijuana,” the Associated Press website reported Time .

“As a second step, the German authorities also plan to set up regional test projects to sell cannabis through ‘commercial supply chains’,” said Health Minister Karl Lauterbach. But the proposal differs from the one he put forward in October, which would allow the sale of cannabis to adults across the country in licensed stores,” the AP continued. “The federal government has revised the plan after discussions with the Executive Commission of the European Union. Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir said that EU law “sets limits for us that we have to respect, but I also say we are pushing for them.” Lauterbach had always pointed out that the government would only implement its original plan if it would get the green light from the EU.”

The proposed new cannabis law “provides legalization of possession of up to 25 grams (nearly 1 ounce) of cannabis for recreational use and allows individuals to grow up to three plants,” according to the Associated Press, which noted that the measure would “permit the… German residents aged 18 and over join non-profit “cannabis clubs” with a maximum of 500 members each, who are allowed to grow cannabis for members’ own use”, while individuals “up to 25 grams per day or more.” to 50 grams per month – a figure that would be capped at 30 grams for adults under the age of 21.”

Lauterbach said in April the EU’s response was “on the one hand something that may have disappointed us, but on the other hand it is also an opportunity – the possibility of a well-conducted study laying the foundation for a European cannabis policy.”