Less cannabis-related crime in Berlin since legalization

Since the cannabis legalization in Germany at the beginning of the year, Berlin has seen a significant decrease in cannabis-related crimes.

Decline in Cannabis-Related Offenses

The number of cannabis-related offenses in Berlin has seen a significant decrease since legalization. Between April and October 2024, the Berlin police recorded 1,685 violations of the cannabis law, compared with 5,315 violations during the same period in 2023, when stricter drug laws were in effect. Among these offenses, 81 administrative violations—such as cannabis use in restricted areas—were recorded.

This reduction is largely attributed to the decriminalization of cannabis possession for personal use, which accounted for nearly 80% of previous offenses.

Vasili Franco, a Green Party lawmaker, considers this a victory. He said : «Contrary to all the alarmist claims, the cannabis law is showing its first results after just a few months.”. »Decriminalization should mean that cannabis users are no longer unnecessarily persecuted, criminalized, and stigmatized."

Mixed regional results

While Berlin is celebrating these initial successes, Bavaria presents a striking contrast. Reports from the summer reveal that Bavarian police recorded 4,561 cannabis-related offenses between April and June. Of these offenses, 1,430 involved trafficking or possession of amounts exceeding legal limits, while nearly 3,000 incidents involved the driving under the influence of cannabis.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann condemned the legalization, calling it ‘a major mistake in terms of safety and health policy.«.

The legalization policy has come under fierce criticism from conservative circles including the Bavarian Minister of the Interior. For example, Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has pledged to repeal the cannabis law if his party wins the next election. He described the law as «a grave mistake and a sin against our children.».

His critics, such as Alexander Poitz of the police union, believe that the law is poorly designed and that it risks expanding the markets for organized crime.