When you think of Aschheim, you might think of the village-like center and the agricultural fields that surround the community. Some people may still associate the Wirecard scandal with the community. An open drug scene, on the other hand, is not usually one of the associations that come to mind when you hear the name Aschheim.
But that’s exactly what some mothers now fear, as became clear at the citizens’ meeting on Friday evening. “We parents worry about our children,” said one mother. The background to the fears is a cannabis cultivation association that is currently setting up shop in Aschheim. As it says on the website of this “chillout club”, it is the first of its kind in the Munich area. In these cannabis clubs, club members will in future be able to grow the hemp plant together and sell cannabis to each other – this is what the draft legalization law provides for.
According to information on the website, the “Chillout Club” was founded on September 20th and has been renting the premises of a former supermarket on Saturnstrasse in Aschheim since November 1st. Renovations are to be carried out in the coming weeks so that cultivation can begin as soon as the law allows it – the still controversial cannabis legalization will of course not take place at the turn of the year as planned, but will be delayed.
Nevertheless, the fact that drugs are being grown in Aschheim of all places worries some in the town. “I don’t feel safe anymore,” said one mother at the town hall meeting. She is afraid for her children when they go to school or to visit friends alone: ”What kind of customers will be here?” She wanted to know from Second Mayor Robert Ertl (FW), who led the meeting in place of the sick town hall boss Thomas Glashauser (CSU), what could be done against the cannabis club. “The community can’t do anything about it,” said Ertl. After all, the club won’t be illegal if legalization comes. “It’s not a junkie club either. They don’t sell drugs here.”
At least not to everyone, as a look at the website shows: Cannabis is only available to those who are members of the club and pay the monthly fee of 150 euros. Only people over the age of 25 are allowed to register; admission is limited to 500 members. They should be able to pick up up to 50 grams of cannabis flowers from Saturnstrasse every month. No one except club members is allowed to enter the rooms.
Stefan Roß, head of the police station in Haar, tried to calm the worried mothers: “There is no evidence that you should worry about your children.” Cannabis users have no reason to harm children. “They just want to chill.” From his point of view, the focus is on road traffic. We will monitor whether there is an increase in drug-fueled driving.
Someone present thinks the panic is unfounded and asks whether alcohol isn’t a drug
Another citizen was not appeased by this. She fears that the club’s members could pass on their cannabis to minors. This caused another mother to be incomprehensible. She asked whether alcohol wasn’t a drug. What is different about cannabis? She doesn’t consume either and believes the panic is unfounded. “If they want it, kids are more likely to get drugs through their peers than through a cannabis club.”
But the worry didn’t go away throughout the evening. Even after citizens had long since asked other questions, such as about geothermal energy or loud trucks, an Aschheim resident once again asked urgently to take a good look at the new club. “To my son and other young people: take our concerns to heart.” If there is no way to ban it, the area should at least be fenced off and strictly controlled. Ertl replied: “We’ll keep an eye on it and make sure there’s no mischief.”