{"id":13523,"date":"2021-11-04T16:06:36","date_gmt":"2021-11-04T16:06:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/?p=13523"},"modified":"2021-11-04T16:06:36","modified_gmt":"2021-11-04T16:06:36","slug":"how-broccoli-became-synonymous-for-cannabis-in-germany-famous-german-worte","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/how-broccoli-became-synonymous-for-cannabis-in-germany-famous-german-worte\/","title":{"rendered":"How Broccoli Became Synonymous for Cannabis in Germany"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this series, I want to discuss Worte\u00a0<\/em>(words)<\/a> that became famous in Germany, and what their impact was afterwards. Today, we’ll look at a new word for cannabis.<\/strong>\u00a0If you look into the debate about legalizing marihuana in Germany from time to time, you might have read that people refer to der Cannabis<\/em> (cannabis) as all kinds of things, but mostly das Gras\u00a0<\/em>(weed, literally “grass”),\u00a0das Marihuana<\/em> (marihuana) or\u00a0das Pot <\/em>(from the English “pot”). But since last year, a new synonym has entered the discourse:\u00a0das Brokkoli <\/em>(broccoli)<\/strong>. Why, and where does this new word come from?<\/p>\n

Click here for more posts in the series\u00a0Famous German Worte<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The government’s position towards legalization<\/h1>\n
\"Brokkoli

Is this broccoli? (Photo by David Gabri\u0107<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n

After other European countries, like Portugal with die Entkriminalisierung <\/em>(decriminalization) of Marihuana <\/em>and some US states, like Colorado with die Legalisierung <\/em>(legalization) of\u00a0Gras\u00a0<\/em>set the tone, the political pressure to legalize weed in Germany has been rising. And the (still) sitting government of CDU\/CSU and SPD have been avoiding this question, making it rather clear<\/a> that they are against die Legalisierung<\/em>. After the elections in September<\/a>, a government<\/a> that is more in favor of legalization is likely.<\/p>\n

Enter Daniela Ludwig<\/strong>, the federal\u00a0Drogenbeauftragte\u00a0<\/em>(German drugs commissioner)<\/strong>. In her role, she is responsible for a part the execution of the government’s drugs policy, especially regarding alcohol consumption and smoking. But of course, this also includes illegal drugs, such as weed.<\/p>\n

Ludwig has explained her position<\/a> against legalization with the worry that it would lead to\u00a0die Verharmlosung\u00a0<\/em>(downplaying) of the dangers of\u00a0Marihuana<\/em><\/strong>, especially among die Jugend <\/em>(youth). Furthermore, she said\u00a0ich will keine dritte Volksdroge\u00a0<\/em>(I don’t want a third type of public drugs), referring to the current market of the Volksdrogen <\/em>cigarettes and alcohol. In general, the position is to reduce\u00a0Konsum\u00a0<\/em>(m, consumption) of these\u00a0Volksdrogen\u00a0<\/em>and to do more\u00a0Aufkl\u00e4rungsarbeit\u00a0<\/em>(f, educational work) as well as helping those that are\u00a0s\u00fcchtig\u00a0<\/em>(addicted).<\/p>\n

She said<\/a>: Je mehr wir \u00fcber Legalisierung sprechen, vermitteln wir den Eindruck, wir reden \u00fcber einen Stoff, der mehr zuf\u00e4llig noch illegal ist, und bei dem es jetzt endlich mal Zeit wird, dass wir ihn in die Legalit\u00e4t holen, weil er tut ja nichts. Und das ist falsch.”\u00a0<\/em>(The more we talk about legalization, we give the impression that we talk about a substance that is more coincidentally still illegal, for which it is now finally the time that we make it legal, because it is harmless after all. And that’s wrong.)<\/p>\n

And then something else happened in that same press conference…<\/p>\n

Cannabis ist kein Brokkoli<\/em><\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"Brokkoli<\/a>

DEFINITELY not marihuana (Photo by Mae Mu<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n

When political reporter Tilo Jung of Jung & Naiv<\/a> asked the German\u00a0Drogenbeauftragte <\/em>(German drugs commissioner) Daniela Ludwig during a\u00a0Bundespressekonferenz\u00a0<\/em>(federal press conference) whether she believed that alcohol was more gef\u00e4hrlich <\/em>(dangerous) than Marihuana<\/em>, she gave the following, now infamous answer:<\/p>\n