CNN —Germany’s lower house of parliament voted to legalize cannabis for limited recreational use among adults on Friday, following a controversial debate about the pros and cons of allowing easier access to the drug. In total, 407 German lawmakers voted in favor of the new regulation; 226 lawmakers voted against and four lawmakers abstained from Friday’s vote. The move makes Germany the third country in Europe – after Malta and Luxembourg – to legalize the drug for recreational use, removing cannabis from the official list of banned substances. The German government said that cannabis would remain illegal for minors and highly restricted for young adults, adding that consuming the drug near schools and playgrounds would be illegal. “Nobody should misunderstand this law: cannabis consumption is being legalized, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous,” Germany’s health minister said.

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Persons: –, Karl Lauterbach, ” Lauterbach, “, Tino Sorge, GMA Klaus Reinhardt Organizations: CNN, Christian Democratic Union, CDU, German Medical Associations, GMA Locations: Germany, Europe –, Malta, Luxembourg, Netherlands