IN THE DEBATE on the decriminalization of cannabis in Germany, experts are calling for an increase in the legal cannabis consumption limit for drivers, dpa writes. The current limit for the active substance THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) penalizes people who are already fit to drive after consuming cannabis, experts point out, according to dpa.

THC is the substance primarily responsible for the effects of marijuana on a person's mental state. Starting Wednesday, experts will discuss this issue at a conference in the northern German city of Goslar. “The current threshold value for THC concentration is not good because it does not indicate inability to drive,” said Andreas Krämer of the German Bar Association.

Currently, a THC value of 1 nanogram – the smallest possible concentration that can be reliably detected – is considered driving under the influence of drugs.

The problem is that THC, unlike alcohol, causes very different reactions in different people, explained Siegfried Brockmann, head of the accident research department at the German Insurance Association. He advocates a threshold value of 3 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood.

The annual congress in Goslar, which begins next week, is one of the most important gatherings of traffic safety experts in Germany. The congress will end on Friday with recommendations for the German parliament. Helmut Trentmann, president of the Alliance Against Alcohol and Drugs in Road Traffic, assumes that the decriminalization of cannabis will increase the number of trips made under the influence of cannabis.

Therefore, he is calling, among other things, for comprehensive education of all road users. The German automobile association ADAC wants to stick to the 1 nanogram limit because of the partly unclear relationship between dose and effect.

“Road safety must not be jeopardized,” said the spokesperson.

Source: index.hr