After cannabis legalization
Wissing wants to relax the THC limit in road traffic
March 20, 2024, 4:05 p.m
Listen to article
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
This week there will be a decisive vote in the Federal Council on the traffic light government’s cannabis plans. Transport Minister Wissing is already thinking about the next step: He wants to abolish the 0.0 limit for THC in road traffic.
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing has spoken out against a 0.0 limit for THC in road traffic in the event of cannabis legalization. “That would be a ban on consumption through traffic law. I don’t want that,” Wissing told the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”. “But I can’t decide that because I’m not a doctor,” the minister added. The Transport Ministry’s expert commission will set a THC limit “in the spring”. It is “unlikely” that this will be 0.0.
The Bundestag approved the controversial law on partial cannabis legalization for adults in February. The vote in the Federal Council is coming up this Friday. Union-led federal states have already announced that they will vote against the law planned by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and thus refer it to the mediation committee. However, since the law does not require formal approval in the state chamber, the Bundestag could overrule a mediation result at a later date with a simple majority.
In connection with the planned legalization, a possible increase in the THC limit for road traffic was also discussed. Driving a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs is currently generally prohibited. Courts recently set a threshold of one nanogram of THC per milliliter of blood.
However, cannabis has long detection times. Drivers could also be prosecuted if their consumption no longer actually has any influence on their driving behavior. “The effect may have disappeared again while the THC content in the body is still present at an increased level,” said Wissing. “We don’t have this phenomenon with alcohol.” For him, “road safety is the focus.” The FDP politician emphasized that only those who “are able to completely control it and are not under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants” should drive a car.