Why Did People Think The German Police Wanted Soccer Fans To Smoke Weed Instead Of Drinking?
News has been going around that German Police are encouraging soccer fans attending Euro 2024 to smoke cannabis instead of drinking alcohol. Their supposed reasoning was because cannabis “promoted a more relaxed atmosphere” and that would help curb any potential violence.
That news turned out to be false and debunked by police in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
Authorities claimed that they were misquoted when a spokesperson for the police in Gelsenkirchen suggested fans who were attending the Serbia-England match at the Veltins-Arena refrain from excessive alcohol consumption and use cannabis instead.
The statement further emphasized that smoking cannabis inside fan zones and the stadium was illegal and action would be taken against offenders.
Police Commander Peter Both stated, “The police will prioritize the safety of fans during the European Football Championship and will address any aggressive groups that act as troublemakers, regardless of whether they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”
But that didn’t stop the misinformation from spreading online.
A new internet myth is born
Despite their clarification news outlets and online forums have been running with the narrative that German police would rather soccer fans get high to maintain civil order.
Details on who initially started it are scarce but it could possibly have originated from this article from The Sun. A spokesperson from Gelsenkirchen police, Stephan Knipp apparently told a journalist from the tabloid
Fans can totally smoke cannabis on the street, no problem!
You know, if we see a group of people acting aggressively while drinking and another group just chilling with cannabis, we’re probably going to pay more attention to the ones drinking alcohol.
“Consuming alcohol can increase aggressiveness, while smoking cannabis often creates a more relaxed state of mind.”
The story was further sensationalized by reports that England and Serbia supporters were intentionally served reduced strength beer during Sunday’s match to minimize any violent interactions.
After the match which England won 1-0 Gelsenkirchen police issued another clarification, stating that they “do not encourage cannabis consumption”.
A statement clarified, “Multiple media outlets are reporting that police in Gelsenkirchen have urged individuals to choose cannabis over alcohol. This claim is false.
”Police Commander Peter Both reassured the community, stating, “The police will prioritize the safety of fans during the European Football Championship and will respond to any aggressive groups acting as troublemakers, regardless of their state of inebriation.”
Germany has recently legalized recreational cannabis which allows up to possession of up to 25g in public spaces. However smoking near schools and sporting grounds is prohibited.
This makes Germany one of the few countries in the European Union to have legalized both medical and recreational cannabis.
