Ingo Hörmann, the head of drug investigations in Hanover, is criticizing the federal government’s Cannabis Act. While he is not fundamentally opposed to legalization, he argues that the current implementation prevents the system from functioning effectively. As the lead for the Central Investigation Group Narcotics at the Hanover police station, Hörmann has reported significant challenges in law enforcement. He notes that some individuals they have apprehended and arrested for dealing have been caught no less than ten times this year, only to be back on the street the very next day.
This recurring issue, he says, stems from the law changes introduced in 2024, which mean that cannabis dealers face fewer criminal repercussions. Hörmann pointed out that even a dealer caught in the act with 25 kilograms of cannabis-which has a street value of 250,000 euros-was subsequently released, as the responsible public prosecutor did not request a detention order. In these situations, he believes a more “sustainable punishment” is necessary.
Furthermore, the drug investigator believes the legally allowed maximum amounts are too high. The current limit of 50 grams per month, which members aged 21 and over can acquire legally through their cultivation associations, is enough to make approximately 150 joints. Hörmann calculates that this amounts to five joints per day, arguing that someone consuming that much marijuana is likely in a constant state of intoxication and probably suffering from severe drug addiction.
