The police union complains, among other things, about the lack of a transition period – and appeals to Federal Council President Manuela Schwesig.
The police union (GdP) hopes that the Federal Council will prevent the partial legalization of cannabis on April 1st. “We particularly regret that the law does not provide for any transition periods that would enable the police, customs, judicial authorities and youth welfare offices in this country to prepare for the new legal situation,” says a letter from the GdP’s deputy federal chairman, Alexander Poitz, to the President of the Federal Council, Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Manuela Schwesig (SPD). Schwesig should therefore work to ensure that the Mediation Committee is called upon at the upcoming Federal Council meeting on Friday. Important open questions could be clarified there.
Otherwise, according to the GdP, there is a risk of legal and operational uncertainty. The union also fears that if the law comes into force unchanged, criminal gangs could quickly adapt to the new legal situation, adapt their profit model and possibly open up new target markets. It is also not clear how cannabis consumption will affect road traffic. In addition to a coordinated limit value, there is a lack of suitable equipment to detect cannabis in vehicle drivers.
Cannabis will be legalized for adults on a limited basis on April 1st. In principle, possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis for personal consumption should be permitted. Three live cannabis plants should become legal in your own home and up to 50 grams of cannabis for personal consumption. Smoking weed in public spaces should be banned, among other things, in schools, sports facilities and within sight of them – within 100 meters as the crow flies of the entrance area. The law is on the Bundesrat’s agenda for March 22nd. It does not require approval, but the state chamber could call the mediation committee with the Bundestag and slow down the process.
Three committees of the Bundesrat recommend sending the law passed by the Bundestag in February to the Mediation Committee. Only the Transport Committee recommends allowing the law to pass. The health policy spokesman for the Green parliamentary group, Janosch Dahmen, appealed to the ten state governments with Green participation in the “Handelsblatt” this week to oppose calling the mediation committee. He said: “There is a lot to suggest that if the law goes into a mediation committee, it will no longer come out of there,” which would mean that the proposed law would have failed.
Source: Stern
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