- Cannabis legalization: no early release
Prosecutors in MV have completed the review of thousands of enforcement procedures required by the cannabis legalization. In 178 cases, enforcement of a fine and in one case enforcement of an unserved substitute imprisonment was suspended due to the retroactive amnesty, as the Ministry of Justice announced on request. There was no early release from imprisonment or detention.
The review became necessary after the Cannabis Act (CanG) came into force on April 1, removing cannabis from the list of prohibited substances in the Narcotics Act. Adults may now carry up to 25 grams of the drug in public, with a maximum of 50 grams at home. It is also permitted to have up to three cannabis plants in the living area. Smoking in public is allowed, but not near children and youth, schools, kindergartens, playgrounds, and during the day also not in pedestrian zones.
The Ministry had announced in May that over 6,000 cases would have to be reviewed in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In three cases, the enforcement of suspended sentences was suspended. Furthermore, five inmates were affected for whom the public prosecutors' offices had to apply to dissolve and re-impose a total suspended sentence according to CanG.
The retroactive amnesty announced by the Ministry of Justice led to the suspension of enforcement in 179 cases, including the release from prison in one instance due to the amnesty related to cannabis legalization. Despite the Cannabis Act permitting up to three cannabis plants at home, there have been cases where public prosecutors have needed to apply to dissolve and re-impose total suspended sentences for inmates affected by the law.
