Control of the new rules
Police expect extra work due to strict cannabis regulations
March 30, 2024, 9:20 a.m
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One argument for legalizing cannabis is that the police will have to carry out fewer checks. The German partial legalization with numerous requirements has the opposite effect: in a survey, the states stated that they were planning new controls and expected higher material and personnel costs.
The police in the federal states expect the partial legalization of cannabis on April 1st to result in a greater workload for officers – but large-scale checks are not planned for the time being. In a survey, for example, the police in Saxony-Anhalt stated that they wanted to increasingly monitor drivers for the influence of cannabis. According to the State Ministry of the Interior in Magdeburg, this is intended to reduce the risk of accidents in road traffic as much as possible. Anyone who is found to have the cannabis active ingredient THC is committing an administrative offense.
Schleswig-Holstein’s police have not planned any increased traffic controls, at least at the start. However, she wants to gradually expand this over the next few months. The Saxon police want to focus primarily on crime hotspots. Police officers are supposed to identify dealers in order to specifically protect children, young people and adolescents. The distribution of cannabis remains prohibited.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, before the new law came into force, it was still unclear how controls would be carried out. As a spokesman for the State Ministry of the Interior in Düsseldorf announced, the police are still examining open questions. Discussions about the approach were also underway in other federal states.
More material and personnel costs
On March 22nd, the Federal Council passed the traffic light coalition’s new cannabis law. The law, which was approved after decades of discussions, represents a turning point in German drug policy. It allows possession and cultivation of the drug by adults with numerous requirements for personal consumption.
The Thuringian police expect an increased workload for the first time after partial legalization. The police in other countries made similar statements. This is the phase in which “consumer-inclined parts of the population have to adapt to the legal situation characterized by many exceptions,” said a spokesman in Erfurt. Overall, it can be assumed that more material and personnel costs will be incurred.
In Hamburg, the police initially want to focus on information and communication with people. Checks will be carried out with the usual sense of proportion. However, a spokesman emphasized that violations would be pursued consistently. In the past few days, many civil servants have received intensive training on the topic.