On Thursday evening, the German Bundestag approved new regulations setting limits on how much THC – the psychoactive compound in cannabis – can be present in motorists’ bloodstreams when they are on the road. 

Under the new rules, individuals caught driving with 3.5 nanograms or more of THC in their blood will face a €500 fine and a one-month driving ban.

According to experts, the limit is similar to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 percent (0.2 per mille) and is set well below the level at which the substance is believed to have an adverse effect in order to account for measuring errors. 

Stefanie Iwersen-Bergman, Head of Toxicology at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, told Tagesschau that THC levels in occasional users drop below one nanogram within eight hours – a level that allows for safe driving. 

The new rules also include a complete ban on the mixed consumption of cannabis and alcohol, with violators facing fines of up to €1,000. For novice drivers who obtained their license in the last two years and those under 21, any level of cannabis use is prohibited while driving. 

READ ALSO: Germany gives controversial green light to cannabis

Responding to the news, CDU politician Florian Müller slammed the regulations as a “dark day for road safety”, adding that it was “absurd” to compare cannabis users with alcohol drinkers.

Meanwhile, the Technical Monitoring Association (TÜV), which conducts safety testing and certifications, has argued that the new regulations aren’t fully backed up by science.

But Greens MP Swantje Michaelsen, who worked on the legislation, argued that the move would strengthen road safety.

“Nobody is allowed to drive while intoxicated,” she said. “The decisive factor is not whether a person has cannabis in their pocket, but whether they separate cannabis use and driving.”

Following the legalisation of cannabis possession on April 1st, Germany has some of the most liberal cannabis laws in Europe.

Under the new law, adults over 18 are allowed to carry 25 grams of dried cannabis and cultivate up to three marijuana plants at home.

From July 1st, weed smokers will also be able to obtain weed through local cannabis clubs. These regulated associations will be allowed to have up to 500 members each and distribute up to 50 grams of cannabis per person per month.

READ ALSO: ‘New cannabis law in Germany isn’t dangerous – it’s common sense’