Cannabis on board: Not a good idea!

First things first: Even though a small amount of cannabis for personal use has been legalized, the legal status for maritime shipping has not changed. Just like before a cannabis limit of 1.0 ng/ml THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) in the blood serum applies on German maritime waterways. Although this value is planned to be aligned with the recently increased limit of 3.5 ng/ml THC for road traffic, even that value is quickly reached, because it is comparable to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.2 per mill driving limit.

Oftentimes, cannabis consumption leads to being limited in one's work on board or being unable to safely command and navigate the ship. The consequences may be a monetary fine as well as the revocation of the certificate of competency or the medical fitness certificate. The reason for these penalties is that regular cannabis consumption leads directly to lower performance in awareness, attention and one's capacity to react. In addition, significant side effects may occur – including sedation, drowsiness, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting or fever. There is a difference whether one consumes cannabis in a private setting (if legally or illegally is not relevant) or in a professional capacity on board a sea-going vessel, where an emergency or rescue situation that requires a minimum degree of capability may occur at any time.

However that is not all: Cannabis consumptions effects everybody differently. The THC concentration in the blood strongly depends on individual factors such as: How often and how much cannabis gets consumed? How high is the general performance and how does the body react to cannabis consumption? How used to cannabis is the person already? According to a verdict of the Federal Constitutional Court, the cannabis consumer, as the cause of the risk, bears the "residual insecurity" of the individually occurring THC effects. The protection of the general public exceeds the individual right for intoxication, states the highest German court.

The BG Verkehr recommends to their member companies to fully ban bringing any cannabis products to work as well as the consumption during work hours or breaks. The BG Verkehr includes this in the measures that facilitate an effective prevention of occupational accidents for all employees.

For more information on the topic refer to our website in our section "Maritime Medicine".