Germany's Bundestag votes for cannabis legalization

Germans will be able to possess and cultivate marijuana starting April 1. German lawmakers have approved the partial legalization of cannabis in the country. 407 parliamentarians voted in favor of the legislation put forward by the ruling coalition, comprising Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), the business-focused Free Democratic Party and the environmentalist Greens.

226 lawmakers rejected the bill. Four MPs abstained.

The governing parties say the new law will facilitate the responsible use of cannabis as it calls for limited legal availability of the drug with numerous rules, regulations and restrictions. 

Germans are deeply divided over the measure, with a YouGov poll showing that about 47% of the respondents somewhat or completely in favor of it while 42% of them somewhat or completely rejecting.