Legal ruling - Seventeen people have been freed from incarceration due to the partial legalization of cannabis.
Thanks to the partially legalized status of cannabis, 17 individuals have been set free from imprisonment in Rhineland-Palatinate. The Ministry of Justice in Mainz revealed this information in response to a question by the German Press Agency. Out of these 17 individuals, 11 were set free the very moment the federal law took effect on April 1, 2024. This decision also resulted in the release of five other individuals. Lastly, the arrest warrant for one person who was in pre-trial detention was dropped due to the law.
As of April 1, 2024, the possession, private cultivation, and public consumption of cannabis are legal in Germany for people aged 18 and above. However, individuals are restricted to carrying no more than 25 grams of marijuana in public and no more than 50 grams at home. A maximum of three plants are allowed in one's living space. If these rules are violated, a hefty fine may be imposed.
Currently, there are 233 detainees in Rhineland-Palatinate jails who have a past with offenses concerning the Narcotics Act or the Cannabis Act. Various reasons could be the cause of these individuals remaining in police custody. These factors may include the crime they were convicted for not being covered by the amnesty, or that their pardon and a reduced overall sentence has not yet been enforced.
Based on previous declarations from the Ministry of Justice, over 9,800 cases required review in Rhineland-Palatinate due to the federal law. Approximately 3,000 investigations have been either completed or are ongoing, which includes analyzing the total prison sentences and filing applications with the courts. Multiple cases have seen the active enforcement of their sentences stopped while others have had their cases resubmitted for review.
