Celebrated release

Thousands at cannabis action day in Berlin

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Even though the German government now wants to tighten the ban on the possession, consumption and cultivation of cannabis, which has been in force since 1 April, and Deutsche Bahn has also written a ban on cannabis in train stations into its house rules, the liberalization of drug policy in Germany continues to be celebrated. On Saturday, thousands of people went to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to hold a "smoke-in".

Artists played music on a stage and there were rallies. The long-time juvenile court judge and cannabis activist Andreas Müller greeted the people with the words: "Dear no longer criminalized cannabis users". It was a great day, he said, adding that Germany had taken the right path with legalization after a long period of prohibition.

"No plant is illegal"
Photos showed people with large, inflatable joints or wearing clothes with hemp leaves printed on them. Signs read "Not everyone wants to get high!" or "No plant is illegal", among other things.

April 20 is a worldwide day of action for stoners, i.e. smokers of marijuana and hashish. In the USA, the date is 4/20 - the number 420 has long been a code for cannabis consumption.