Germany on Wednesday paved the way for legalizing the purchase and possession of small quantities of recreational marijuana, as well as its production.

“Today the federal cabinet agreed on key points for the controlled sale of cannabis to adults for recreational use,” Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said at a press conference.

The dispensing and use of the drug would be “allowed within a licensed and state-controlled framework,” said Lauterbach.

Under the proposals, people over the age of 18 would be allowed to store between “20 and 30 grams” of dried cannabis sold in authorized stores and pharmacies, according to a summary obtained by AFP.

Germany would allow domestic production of cannabis by licensed companies and allow adults to keep up to three plants for their own sustenance.

Advertising for cannabis would be banned under the proposals, while packaging for cannabis products should be “neutral”.

Cannabis products sold to young adults under the age of 21 could have a maximum strength, but a general limit would not apply under the plans.

The current cannabis policy has failed to “secure” health and youth protection goals, Lauterbach said.

“The trend is going in the wrong direction and we also have a thriving black market, which of course goes hand in hand with crime,” said the health minister.

Lauterbach did not provide a detailed timeline for implementing the bills, but estimated that legalization could happen by 2024.

The eventual decriminalization of cannabis will be reviewed after four years to assess the impact of the policy change.

Last year, Malta became the first country in Europe to officially legalize cannabis and its cultivation for personal use – although other countries tolerate it to varying degrees.

Germany’s neighbor Luxembourg is also striving to legalize the drug.