Cannabis at the wheel: 61-year-old loses a driving license after joint enjoyment

Cannabis at the wheel: 61-year-old loses a driving license after joint enjoyment

Steyr, Österreich - On June 20, 2025, a police check was noticed in Marchtrenk, which brought up several explosive aspects. Officials checked an e-scooter who belonged to a twelve-year-old adolescent and suspected of technical manipulation. The roller tester revealed a frightening speed of 48 km/h, which significantly exceeds the permitted limit. As a result, the owner of the e-scooter was displayed, which is only the tip of the iceberg.

At the check, however, the police quickly realized that there was more in the bush. A nearby car aroused the officials' interest because he smelled heavily on cannabis. The 61-year-old driver from the Wels-Land district admitted directly that he had smoked a joint shortly before. To make the situation worse, he had thrown the joint out of the car window. Despite the obvious evidence, he rejected an examination by the official doctor, which was not without consequences.

consequences for the driver

As a direct consequence of the control, the older gentleman was temporarily withdrawn from the driver's license. The local authorities plan to report it to the public prosecutor and the district administration because of the incident. Such measures are important because cannabis can lead to dangerous situations in road traffic, as experts warn. The consumption of cannabis not only affects the reaction speed, but also the decision -making - criteria that are absolutely crucial for safe driving.

This topic receives additional explosiveness from the recent changes in the Road Traffic Act. Since the legalization of cannabis in Germany on April 1, 2024, new regulations have been in force that also look at traffic. With the introduction of a THC border value of 3.5 ng/ml in the blood serum, the possession and consumption of cannabis is regulated more clearly. An absolute ban for beginners and younger drivers under the age of 21 illustrates that there is no scope here when it comes to safety in road traffic. The "Don’t Drive High" initiative was also launched to separate cannabis and driving.

rules for e-scooters and cannabis

It is particularly interesting that the provisions for e-scooter drivers must also be taken into account in this context. Driving an e-scooter under the influence of THC is regulated by law and there is a risk of sensitive fines and driving bans if you cross the specified limit values. Therefore, it is advisable to do without driving an e-scooter after the consumption of cannabis.

The combination of cannabis consumption and traffic regulations will certainly remain a hotly discussed topic for a long time. The police have prepared to consistently monitor compliance with the new rules in order to ensure more security on the streets. The incident in Marchtrenk could thus serve as a wake -up call for all road users to deal responsibly with the topic and to take the new legal framework seriously.

For more information on the legal basics, take a look at the reports from [e-steyr] (https://www.e-steyr.com/steyr-news/newsblog/10728-Joint-aus-dem-auto-gift-61-jaehriger-mahl-schein-schein-schein Escooter-Held and [bmv.de] (https://www.bmv.de/shahareddocs/de/artikel/k/sechstes-gesetz-zur-aendung-des-des-des-dem