PORTFOLIO

The planned legalization of cannabis has become a source of society-wide controversy, with advocates and opponents irreconcilably opposed. For the first time in Germany, a drug is to become officially available for consumption by adults, as stipulated in the coalition agreement of the new government. The Deutsche Hanfverband (German Hemp Association) estimates that between 200 and 400 tons of cannabis are consumed in German annually. Altogether 6.1% of adults use the drug, and with young people aged 18 to 25, the figure is as high as 15.3%. Critics accuse proponents of seeking decriminalization to the detriment of younger, more vulnerable individuals in particular. Protection of minors versus criminalizing drug-use? The film asks whether and to what extent legalization may be problematical, especially for young people, whose perspective is emphasized in the production. But on the political, social, and scientific levels as well, and with an eye toward the experience of the Netherlands evidence, the documentary explores the full complexity of this ongoing debate.