A panel of experts has proposed a new, higher THC limit for drivers. The police union demands control instruments.
THC limit in traffic should be increased, without limiting roadworthiness Photo: Fabián Sommer/dpa
SEDAN epd | Following the adoption of the cannabis law, an independent group of experts commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Transport presented a recommendation to limit THC in road traffic. The Federal Ministry of Transport announced in Berlin on Thursday that it should be 3.5 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) of blood serum.
According to the panel of scientists, the value corresponds to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.2 per thousand. Above this value, driving safety is impaired. However, it is below the threshold above which the risk of accidents increases.
Until now, the lower limit of 1 ng/ml THC is tolerated in road traffic. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the psychoactive substance in cannabis, which accounts for most of the intoxicating effect. The substance acts differently than alcohol and can be detected with regular consumption for several days after the last puff of a joint.
By raising the limit to 3.5 ng/ml, only road users who have consumed cannabis shortly before driving will be penalized, explained medicine, pharmacology and police experts. They also recommend completely banning cannabis users from drinking and driving. Mixed consumption poses a special risk in road traffic.
“Scientifically based”
The FDP parliamentary group's drug policy spokesperson, Kristine Lütke, described the commission's proposal as “scientifically based.” The limit value protects general traffic safety, but also the freedom of consumers, said the FDP politician. She called on the Bundestag to start a rapid legislative process for the new limit value.
The police union (GdP) also supports the recommendations of the expert committee. This means that the “half-baked cannabis law” will provide more legal certainty at least on one important point, said Alexander Poitz, federal vice president of the union. However, the union omits an additional lower limit for novice or passenger drivers.
“Our colleagues will have no choice but to wait and see how the recommended limit will affect driving safety,” Poitz said. To achieve this, greater controls are necessary. According to the unionist, for this the police need modern control instruments and greater training. In addition, it is necessary to record how traffic accidents develop under the influence of drugs.
The expert committee's proposal has reportedly been forwarded to the Ministry of Health. The Cannabis Law, which will come into force on April 1, will legalize the possession and cultivation of adult-use cannabis in limited quantities. According to the Ministry of Transport, until the law regulates a new THC limit value in road traffic, the current value of 1 ng/ml will apply.