Finances - Dispute over additional costs due to cannabis law
After the legalization of Cannabis on April 1st and the permissibility of its cultivation on July 1st, there is controversy in Hessen over who will pay for the monitoring of the new regulations. The Executive Director of the Hessian City Council, Jürgen Dieter, demanded, "that we be fully reimbursed for the expenses incurred through the use of personnel and financial resources in the areas of Health, Order, and Youth."
Cities have spoken out against the transfer of responsibility for controlling the cultivation associations and enforcing order violations under the federal Cannabis Law to municipal ordinance authorities: "This is not feasible with the current personnel." According to Dieter, the state is responsible.
The Hessian City Council has started cost increases regarding the mandatory tasks resulting from the federal Cannabes Law. The Association will consider filing a lawsuit against the state "once the results are available in the fall."
"Additional effort is annoying"
The CDU-led Interior Ministry in Wiesbaden informed the German Press Agency: "The additional effort caused by the legalization of Cannabis is annoying. The cause of this, however, is not the state, but the federal government, which has pushed this law through with a heavy hand." This refers to the coalition government in Berlin.
In Hessen, according to the Interior Ministry, the burdens should be distributed among the various levels of government: "Neither the state nor the municipalities can bear the costs alone." The state is supporting the municipalities by allowing them to collect fines for violations of the Cannabis Law themselves. In addition, the state has promised, "to include any additional costs in the regular negotiations between the state and municipalities on financial matters."
According to the Federal Law, an adult can carry up to 25 grams of Cannabis and store up to 50 grams of dried Cannabis at home, and can cultivate a maximum of three hemp plants. It is forbidden to consume Cannabis directly next to kindergartens, daycare centers, and schools. There are also restrictions for new cultivation associations. Violations of these regulations can result in fines. The police support municipal inspections.
- The controversy over Cannabis law implementation in Hesse primarily revolves around the financial burden, as stated by Jürgen Dieter, the Executive Director of the Hessian City Council.
- Dieter emphasized that Hessian cities should be fully reimbursed for expenses incurred due to Health, Order, and Youth-related tasks under the new Cannabis regulations.
- Municipalities criticize the proposed transfer of responsibility for controlling cultivation associations and enforcement of order violations under the federal Cannabis Law to municipal ordinance authorities.
- The Hessian City Council has initiated cost increases due to mandatory tasks stemming from the federal Cannabis Law, potentially leading to legal action against the state in the fall.
- In Wiesbaden, the Interior Ministry, led by the CDU, expressed frustration over the "annoying" additional effort caused by Cannabis legalization, attributing the blame to the coalition government in Berlin pushing the law through forcefully.
- The Hessian Interior Ministry proposes distributing the burdens arising from Cannabis law implementation among various government levels, acknowledging that neither the state nor municipalities can bear the costs alone.
- In response to financial concerns, the state has offered support to municipalities by enabling them to collect fines for Cannabis Law violations and incorporating any additional costs in future state-municipality financial negotiations.
