Overview

• Berlin's Justice Senator Felor Badenberg and Baden-Württemberg's Justice Minister Marion Gentges have sharply criticized Germany's cannabis legalization, calling it a 'serious mistake' and an 'open invitation' for illegal trade.
• The law, enacted in April 2024, limits investigative tools like phone surveillance and encrypted chat evidence, complicating efforts to prosecute large-scale cannabis crimes.
• A high-profile case in Mannheim saw a suspect freed after smuggling nearly 1,000 pounds of cannabis due to evidence restrictions under the new law.
• Critics argue that the law has inadvertently strengthened black market operations and made Germany more attractive for international drug trafficking.
• Justice ministers from German states will meet on November 28 to discuss a resolution proposing stricter rules and expanded investigative powers during the 2025 evaluation of the law.