ZFrom the point of view of Brandenburg's Interior Minister Michael Stübgen, there is still a lack of clarity regarding the controls of the regulations around the start of the widespread approval of cannabis consumption on April 1st. The CDU politician spoke of “stoner chaos” and rejected the cannabis law. There are fears that the police, judiciary and local authorities will face considerable strain. Cannabis smokers in Brandenburg are also considering organizing themselves into cultivation communities in the future.
Interior Minister Stübgen criticized: “The federal government has decided on technical nonsense. From April 1st, every adult will be allowed to smoke weed in public, but not everywhere and not at any time and the substance remains illegal for the time being. How one is supposed to understand that is a mystery to me.” In addition, the federal government has left it open as to who will be responsible for which controls; the state health ministries now have to clarify that. He expects the responsible minister, Ursula Nonnemacher (Greens), “who ultimately supported the law sustainably,” to immediately submit a regulatory proposal and coordinate with the municipalities.
“I will not accept that the stoner chaos is carried out on the backs of the police or the municipal regulatory authorities,” said Stübgen. There had already been a dispute in the Brandenburg government coalition made up of the SPD, CDU and Greens in March over the partial legalization of cannabis and the behavior in the Federal Council. The Interior Ministry in Potsdam did not say whether and how the police prepared for the new cannabis regulations from April 1st.
Traffic watchdog expects more stoned drivers
The municipalities also don’t seem to know what to expect yet. The Brandenburg Association of Cities and Municipalities said it expects the state government to quickly determine the responsible authorities. “Based on the current legal situation, we do not see a legal duty for the local regulatory authorities to control all “prohibited zones” around schools, playgrounds and sports facilities and to punish violations of criminal offenses.”
The organic farmer Wilhelm Schäkel from Wittstock/Dosse, who has been growing industrial hemp for years for building materials, is one of the supporters of the law: “It is important that the first step has been taken.” On April 20th, a cannabis social club would be founded at Goldbeck Castle in Wittstock, said Schäkel. It is a friend of outdoor cannabis cultivation, “but you probably have to resort to old vaults or empty stables.” It has not yet been decided where exactly the cannabis plants will grow for the cultivation club. “It’s interesting to try out new varieties under the umbrella of a cannabis cultivation association,” said Schäkel, who currently grows industrial hemp on 30 hectares. According to the Internet, there are also preparations for the establishment of a cannabis social club in Cottbus and Frankfurt (Oder).
The law allows possession and cultivation of the drug for adults as of April 1st, with numerous requirements for personal consumption. The law also makes non-commercial “cultivation associations” possible for adults, in which up to 500 members who live in Germany grow cannabis together and sell it to each other for their own consumption – a maximum of 50 grams per member per month. You can start on July 1st.
The Brandenburg State Traffic Police expects that more drivers will be driving stoned on the roads in the future. “Just because the drug is now largely legalized, driving under the influence of cannabis remains dangerous,” warned the president of the traffic watchdog, Jörg Vogelsänger. The Brandenburg State Office for Addiction Issues supports the partial legalization of cannabis, but at the same time considers it important to strengthen prevention. “The prerequisite for successful regulation is the expansion of local prevention offerings,” said Managing Director Andrea Hardeling. “The addiction counseling centers are already very busy, so we hope that the local counseling centers will be better equipped to reach people early.” Advice for those affected and their relatives is also available online at “www.suchtberatung.digital”.