After legalization

No big drug rush at the border so far

The local police carry out checks in the border area, such as here in Braunau, mainly in search of narcotics.(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

Will Upper Austria now literally be fogged up? This was the fear expressed by some critics following the legalization of cannabis in Germany on 1 April. Two and a half months later, the big rush in the border area has yet to materialize - at least so far.

However, there are some worrying "clouds of smoke" to be seen: "We have noticed that the inhibition threshold has dropped among citizens living in Germany when it comes to driving vehicles under the influence of narcotics," says Matthias Osterkorn, police commander of Schärding - the district with the most border crossings.

So far, Osterkorn's police officers have taken around 15 German drug drivers out of circulation at the border. There has been an increase - although there are also more checks - "but it is very manageable. There has been no worrying development". The situation is similar in the other border districts.

Under certain conditions, the consumption of marijuana has been exempt from punishment in Germany since April 1.(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

No smugglers
Not a single Austrian under the influence of drugs has been stopped at the Schärding border. Likewise, no one has yet been caught trying to smuggle cannabis from Germany to Upper Austria. "We attribute this to the fact that the structure in Germany is still being established. We are noticing that hemp plants are increasingly being bought here by German citizens," says Osterkorn. The German police have also repeatedly reported this.

The priority checks in Upper Austria will continue until further notice. An assessment will be made at the end of the year.