The first interim report of the project Evaluation of the Consumer Cannabis Act (EKOCAN) shows that the legalization of cannabis in Germany has led to a significant decrease in cannabis-related crimes, while the number of users has hardly changed. The Consumer Cannabis Act (KCanG), which came into force on 1 April 2024, allows adults to cultivate privately as well as communal, non-commercial cultivation in cultivation associations.

The independent scientific accompanying research EKOCAN, commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Health, investigates the effects on youth protection, health and crime. The Centre for Health and Society at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU), the Centre for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and the Institute of Criminology at the University of Tübingen are involved. The project in Düsseldorf is led by addiction researcher Prof. Dr. Daniel Kotz, coordinated by Dr. Jakob Manthey from the UKE.

The report is based on data from twelve surveys and 20 routine data sources up to August 2025 and summarizes preliminary findings. In 2024, an estimated 5.3 million adults used cannabis, which is a stable number. In the short term, the illegalisation of te-illegalisation has not had a significant impact on the number of consumers among young people and adults; the declining trend in youth consumption continues. However, about one-tenth of adolescent users continue to engage in a risky use of the substance through daily or almost daily consumption, which increases the risk of health problems. In addition, there are indications that fewer young people seek addiction counselling after legalisation. The total demand for cannabis in 2024 was covered to a small extent by legal sources: medical cannabis covered 12 to 14 percent, while cultivation associations contributed less than 0.1 percent. The proportions of self-cultivation and illegal market cannot be quantified at present.

The low participation in growers’ associations points to the need for simplified framework conditions in order to displace the black market more effectively. The police crime statistics for 2024 record around 100,000 fewer criminal proceedings in the cannabis sector than in 2023, which is the largest decriminalisation in the history of the Federal Republic. Small consumers in particular benefit, as the possession of small quantities for personal use is exempt from punishment. For a detailed assessment of the effects on organised crime, police practice and the judiciary, further data and a longer observation period are necessary. The preliminary results do not indicate any short-term changes in the extent of health problems caused by cannabis use, but long-term effects can only be determined with a greater distance. EKOCAN, which started on January 1, 2025, will run until April 2028 and submit a final report. The findings serve as a basis for possible adjustments to cannabis policy, including debates about specialty stores or stricter regulations.

Original Paper:

Evaluation of the Consumer Cannabis Act (EKOCAN): 1st Interim Report | ZFDM Repository

Read Also:

Cannabis use increases the risk of psychosis in adolescents by 11 times. – MedLabPortal

ASKED ABOUT cannabis legalization: “It is foreseeable that the illegal ‘weed’ will be cheaper than the legal one” – MedLabPortal

Thuringia: First Psychotherapeutic University Outpatient Clinic for Children – MedLabPortal

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

Gender Notice. The personal designations used in this text always refer equally to female, male and diverse persons. Double/triple naming and gendered designations are used for better readability. ected.