Schwerin (dpa/mv) - In anticipation of the controlled legalization of cannabis planned by the federal government, the Greens in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are proposing a noticeable relaxation of the regulations currently in force in the state. The acquisition and possession of 20 instead of the previous 6 grams of the intoxicant should be classified as a small amount and thus remain unpunished. As Constanze Oehlrich, member of the Greens, said in Schwerin on Monday, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has so far been one of the countries with the strictest interpretation of the law, which puts an additional burden on the police and judiciary. In Bremen and Berlin, for example, the authorities would only be active with a quantity of 15 grams.
According to federal plans, the acquisition and possession of up to 30 grams of cannabis should remain unpunished in the future. In addition, private cultivation should be permitted to a limited extent and sales to adults in "licensed specialist shops" and possibly also in pharmacies should be possible. "At the moment, the police and public prosecutor's office have to investigate almost every crime in our country. It can be assumed that the criminal proceedings that have been initiated will only be decided when the new federal law is already in force," said Oehlrich, explaining her parliamentary group's initiative, which the state parliament will discuss on will be discussed on Thursday. As can be seen from the response of the state government to a small inquiry by the Greens, between 4000 and 5000 cases are conducted in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in connection with cannabis every year.
At the end of October, the federal government decided on the key points for the controlled cannabis tax planned by the traffic light coalition. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) announced last week that he wanted to back up the plans with an expert opinion. He emphasized that a law should only be passed if the plans stand up to an examination in Brussels under European and international law. The aim of the new regulation is to push back the black market, not to expand consumption overall and to improve child and youth protection.
