Austria stepping up police checks in border areas after Germany liberalizes cannabis rules

BERLIN (AP) — Austria’s top security official says the country will step up police checks near its border with Germany after its neighbor legalized the possession of limited amounts of cannabis for recreational use. Germany’s new rules went into force Monday, legalizing possession by adults of up to 25 grams (nearly 1 ounce) of marijuana for recreational purposes and allowing individuals to grow up to three plants for their personal use. European countries have a patchwork of rules on cannabis, which remains illegal in most places. Austria has no plans to follow Germany’s lead.