Due to very low THC limits for drivers, coalition politicians have demanded to raise them in the context of planned cannabis legalization. However, currently the government has no plans to change the limits. Instead, a scientific evaluation is to be conducted first, for which no specific timeframe has been established yet.

Contrary to the demand from the coalition factions, the government’s legislative plans for cannabis legalization do not initially provide for raising THC limits for road traffic. According to a draft proposal obtained by the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure is to scientifically evaluate the effects of controlled distribution of cannabis to adults for non-medical purposes on the current limits for road traffic.

The legislative rationale points out that according to the jurisprudence of the Federal Constitutional Court, the permissible limits do not allow any statements about the driving ability of the affected individual in the specific case. Rather, the abstract possibility of impairment of driving ability is already sufficient.

No short-term change planned for THC limits in road traffic.

In Germany, drivers who have consumed cannabis must expect to lose their driver’s license. This can also happen even if the last consumption was several days ago. The reason for this is the extremely low permissible THC levels in the blood serum, which are currently only 1.0 nanograms per milliliter.

Politicians from various parties had spoken out in favor of raising the THC limits in the context of planned legalization. However, such an adjustment is currently not planned. The legislative proposal only provides for a scientific evaluation without a specific date for any possible adjustment being mentioned. As a result, it could take years before the values are actually raised.