Germany moves ahead with plan to legalize cannabis sales

BERLIN (AP) — The German government is setting in motion plans to legalize the sale of cannabis for recreational purposes, aiming to have legislation ready in the year’s second half. The Health Ministry said Monday that it will start holding expert hearings on various aspects of the issue Tuesday. The pledge to legalize controlled sales of cannabis to adults in licensed shops is one of a series of reforms outlined in last year’s coalition deal between the three socially liberal parties that make up Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government. They said the plan would ensure quality control while also protecting young people, and agreed that the “social effects” of the new legislation would be examined after four years.