As women dominate public services yet face pay gaps, unsafe workloads and rising misogyny, this International Women’s Day and TUC Women’s Conference must be a rallying point, says ANDREA EGAN
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European cannabis reform: still lost between the black market and the free market
Germany has scaled back its recreational cannabis plans to avoid falling foul of EU laws. That means full marketisation is on hold for now — but that is not a bad thing, argues ISAAC KNEEBONE-HOPKINS
A worker prepares medical marijuana in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
As the government quietly begins reviewing the BBC’s Royal Charter, the moment should be seized to refound the corporation as a truly democratic, regionally rooted public service, writes PAUL W FLEMING
Like the president in Wag the Dog, Donald Trump faces scandal at home and turns to conflict abroad. But the conflict with Iran risks igniting a regional inferno with global consequences, warns ROGER McKENZIE
With private investment weak and public infrastructure crumbling, the Spring Statement offered little to revive a stagnating economy, writes MICHAEL BURKE
The TUC’s NIKKI POUND says there are gains in the Employment Rights Act for women — but there’s a hell of a lot more to fight for
ON April 12 2023 German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach announced the proposed plan for Germany’s cannabis legalisation. A two-stage process was laid out with immediate plans for the decriminalisation of cannabis for recreational use and the rollout of state-regulated not-for-profit cannabis social clubs where members will be able to buy cannabis for personal use. The law is currently still in its draft form and may be altered before it is voted through.
Germany’s club system would be like fellow EU member Malta, which passed legislation to decriminalise cannabis in 2021 and started accepting license applications for the clubs earlier this year.
The second stage of Germany’s plan is short on details but will involve a limited five-year pilot exploring the possibilities for a recreational consumer market in an EU country. However, at this time little information has been released to say how and where this will happen.
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