A German police officers group has called for the decriminalization of cannabis, arguing that “there has never been a society without drug use in human history, you just have to accept that.”

Head of the Association of German Detectives (BDK) André Schulz spoke out in favor of ending the “arbitrary” ban on cannabis and creating a regulated market for marijuana.

Read more

"The prohibition of cannabis has historically been arbitrary and until today neither intelligent nor purposeful,” Schulz wrote in the German newspaper Hamburger Morgenpost.

The detective says the group is advocating for the decriminalization of cannabis because the current legal system stigmatizes users, promotes criminal careers and occupies a huge amount of police services without making any real progress in fighting drug abuse and crime.

Some 70 percent percent of drug-related cases relate only to drug users, and not dealers or smugglers, he argued in his post. Schultz also suggested that promoting responsible drug use and helping addicts, while protecting children, is a more effective policy than the country’s current system that largely relies on “repression.”

READ MORE: Cannabis ‘social’ club becomes first in UK to be backed by police

When it comes to motorists, however, Schulz was adamant that driving under the influence of any drugs must remain a crime.