One year after Germany partially legalised cannabis, new data from the Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG) shows that use among adolescents and young adults has not increased dramatically. On the contrary – among girls, boys and young women, levels are unchanged or slightly lower compared to the year before legalisation.
Unchanged among adolescents and young women
The study, published in the Journal of Health Monitoring, is based on twelve representative surveys between 2008 and 2025, with a total of over 73,000 adolescents and young adults participating. The most recent measurement – the 2025 Drug Affinity Study – was conducted between April and July 2025 with 7,001 participants aged 12–25.
The results show that 4.6 percent of girls and 7.2 percent of boys aged 12–17 had used cannabis in the past twelve months in 2025. Among young women (18–25), the figure was 18.8 percent, and among young men 31.6 percent. Between 2023 and 2025 – before and after legalisation – use decreased slightly in most groups, but the differences were not statistically significant.
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Trend among young men continues – not a new phenomenon
The only group where a statistically significant increase was seen between 2023 and 2025 was young men aged 18–25. According to the researchers, however, this is not a new development resulting from legalisation, but a continuation of an upward trend that has been ongoing since 2008.
Among male adolescents (12–17), there was instead a decline compared to the peak year 2019, when 10.8 percent reported use. In 2025, the corresponding figure was 7.2 percent.
In Germany, cultivation associations are still being established and home cultivation is expected to increase further, meaning the long-term effects cannot yet be assessed. The researchers emphasise the need for continued data collection and long-term monitoring.
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