After the partial legalization of cannabis in Berlin, Bavaria introduced a catalog of fines. But the implementation encounters difficulties.
Munich – The high fines that the state government has set for violations of the cannabis law have so far only been imposed sporadically in Bavaria. On average, only three violations per day have been registered in the Free State, which are recorded in the new catalog of fines. According to the Ministry of the Interior, between the law's entry into force on April 1 and April 18, 54 administrative offenses, such as smoking cannabis in so-called consumption ban zones, were recorded by the police.
Partial legalization despite Bavarian resistance – the Free State responds with a catalog of fines
After the government in Berlin pushed through the partial legalization of cannabis, despite resistance from Bavaria, the Free State created a catalog of fines for the administrative offenses set by the federal government. The Ministry of Health in Bavaria imposed high fines. For example, anyone who consumes cannabis in pedestrian zones between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. will face a fine of 500 euros. The same fine applies if you consume cannabis within sight of a school or children's playground.
Thorsten Grimm, the deputy state chairman of the German Police Union in Bavaria, complained last week about a great lack of clarity in the interpretation of the laws: “Colleagues are in a big bubble of uncertainty.” It also seems to be unclear for consumers where cannabis is consumed allowed and where not. “That also makes it so difficult for the police to control,” said Grimm.
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Police union: regulation not thought through by the federal government
The police union in Bavaria made a similar statement. In particular, the distance regulations from children's and youth facilities were not thought through by the federal government and could not be controlled in practice, criticized state chairman Florian Leitner.
A spokesman for the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior emphasized that the police not only check the violations listed in the catalog of fines, but also all relevant cannabis rules: “Of course, criminal offenses are particularly important.” Between April 1st and 18th, the Bavarian police reported about 250 reports of cannabis-related crimes registered. “New procedures are constantly being added” in this area.
Interior Ministry expects significantly more “driving under the influence of drugs”:
The Interior Ministry expects “a significant increase in driving under the influence of drugs” after partial legalization. The police in Bavaria will therefore pay more attention to the influence of drugs during traffic checks, said the ministry spokesman. Focus checks are also planned.
The Free State recently announced that it would issue further bans for certain areas. Smoking cannabis should be completely banned at folk festivals and in beer gardens, as well as in the English Garden and the Hofgarten Bayreuth.
Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann criticized the Bavarian government's handling of the new cannabis law. “I think we should concentrate the limited resources we have in the state on catching burglars, catching murderers, and pursuing serious criminals,” said the FDP politician in an interview with the radio station “Antenne Bayern”. “That’s what we should focus on instead of thinking about how we can make life as difficult as possible for adults who use a soft drug.”