Cannabis 2025: 10 facts about everyday life, consumption, home cultivation, pharmacies, social clubs

This Extra 3 episode came on YouTube today: “Growth through weed?” Exactly our topic. Away from criminalization, towards a modern policy. Extra 3 really summarizes everything: Import, use, wow. Here are all the facts so it doesn’t get lost – great work and summary of cannabis in Germany. Everyday life, consumption, home growing, pharmacies, social clubs. Spoiler, what % do you think dispensaries, home growing and social clubs have of the market? All three together make up only 12% of the market, with the black market accounting for 88%.

Before we go into details: 10 facts

Rarely has anyone summarized the cannabis market in Germany so well. Extra-3 shows, based on facts, how the new cannabis law in Germany works / does not work, while the CDU/CSU wants tougher regulations again. It shows what goals have been achieved, where the law is failing and how consumption, youth protection and the black market have developed since partial legalization.

10 facts about partial legalization

  1. Legalization has a visible effect: consumption clearly noticeable in everyday life
  2. Wastewater analysis shows: cannabis is an everyday drug
  3. Consumption under 18 decreases: Young people use less than before legalization
  4. Consumption among young adults on the rise: trend continues as in previous years
  5. Black market remains dominant: legal supply is far from sufficient
  6. Legal quantities: 7% home cultivation, 4% pharmacies, 1% social clubs
  7. Total demand in Germany: around 400 tons per year, legally available approx. 37 tons [small addition from us: It is much more, in 2025 it was 192 tons medically + theoretically a maximum of 57.9 tons if all cultivation associations were to grow fully]
  8. Bureaucracy blocks clubs: many federal states slow down start-ups
  9. Gastronomy draws comparison: cannabis bars significantly more peaceful than alcohol bars
  10. Political debate: improve instead of abolish

Here is the episode, including all 10 facts in detail with more background information.

Extra 3: Growth through weed? on YouTube

1. legalization has a visible effect

Let’s start with fact 1: “Legalization has a visible effect”.

Extra 3 shows how much cannabis has become part of everyday life since partial legalization. Whether it’s the smell in the city or visible consumption – the change is clearly noticeable. A clear indication of how present cannabis has become in everyday social life.

  • Consumption noticeable everywhere
  • Legalization changes the cityscape
  • Perception increased since April 2024

2. wastewater analyses confirm everyday drug

The wastewater values objectively show that cannabis is no longer concentrated on weekends. Exposure is constant – consumption takes place daily (source: Stuttgart). This makes cannabis an everyday drug, measurable and independent of subjective perception.

  • Stuttgart: daily load stable
  • No peaks only at the weekend
  • Wastewater “does not lie”

3. youth consumption under 18 decreases

A strong point from the programme: young people use less cannabis since legalization. The frequently cited concern that legalization would endanger young people is refuted by initial data.

  • Consumption under 18 declining
  • No increase since April 2024
  • Youth protection shows effect

4. consumption by young adults increases

Among young adults, the trend remains stable: consumption continues to increase, as it did in the years before legalization. The program concludes that this is an ongoing development – not caused by the new law.

  • 18-25: increasing use
  • Trend independent of legalization
  • Stable compared to recent years

5. black market remains dominant

The goal of drying up the illegal market has clearly been missed so far. The legal supply is far too low to meet demand. The black market therefore remains the main supplier.

  • Illegal supply continues to lead the way
  • Legal supply is not enough
  • Price & availability drive the black market

How dominant is the black market?

6. legal shares: Home growing, dispensaries, clubs

The distribution of legal sources shows the problem: home cultivation, pharmacies and social clubs together account for less than 10 % of demand. A structural deficit that Extra 3 clearly identifies.

  • 7% home-grown
  • 4% Pharmacies
  • 1% Social Clubs

That means:

Beginning of 2026 = 88% black market

How much tax potential does full legalization have?

Among other things, cannabis could plug the gap in health insurance contributions.

7. Germany’s total requirement of 400 tons

Germany consumes around 400 tons of cannabis per year. Legal production only covers a fraction of this. This gap explains why the black market continues to function.

  • 400 tons total annual requirement
  • Legal cover: approx. 37 tons
  • Under 10% legal availability

Here again our supplement:

Small addition from us: In addition, in 2025 there were 192 tons medically + theoretically a maximum of 57.9 tons if all cultivation associations were to grow fully; presumably the 37 tons refer to current cultivation associations

8. bureaucracy blocks social clubs

Many clubs don’t even get off the ground because they are slowed down or delayed in individual federal states. Extra 3 shows examples of how inspections, requirements and months of administrative procedures make it difficult to get started. There are currently only 193 social clubs in the whole of Germany. Social clubs in Bavaria are particularly affected, with less than 1 club per 1 million inhabitants.

  • Clubs in Bavaria particularly affected
  • Authorities delay approvals
  • Volunteering reaches its limits

9. cannabis bars vs. alcohol bars

An interesting point: a bar owner reports that cannabis bars are much more peaceful than alcohol bars. Fewer arguments, more peace and quiet – an unexpectedly clear picture of the mood.

  • Less aggression
  • Less loss of control
  • More peace & quiet & relaxed atmosphere

10. policy: improve instead of abolish

In the satirical debate, it becomes clear that no one benefits from rolling back legalization. What is needed is optimization – better care, less bureaucracy and clear rules instead of bans.

  • 25g rule remains controversial
  • Shipping ban could set us back
  • Improvement instead of regression

And now? Political debate

The satirical debate discusses whether legalization made sense. The core message: the law is not perfect, but abolishing it would be counterproductive. The solution would be to improve the law and expand legal access.

  • Carrying quantity (25 g) is criticized
  • Argument: Do not abolish, but improve
  • Impending relapse into illegal structures due to shipping ban
  • Dealers will not disappear as long as there is no legal supply

Dealers rejoice! CDU wants to severely restrict MedCanG

The cannabis petition has reached over 50,000 signatures. Nevertheless, the CDU/CSU wants the black market to remain stable. There is no other explanation for the planned restrictions.

Häufig von anderen gelesen