Germany cannabis legalization: cannabis offenses fell 53% in 2024

NewsGermany

By Spliff NewsroomPublished 2 November 2026 at 08:34·3 min read

A study published on 1 November 2026 finds that cannabis offenses in Germany fell 53% in 2024, the year after Germany's cannabis legalization took effect in April. Alcohol consumption and alcohol-related hospital stays also kept declining, the researchers report.

Researchers from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf and Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf looked at the first year after the reform. According to The Marijuana Herald, cannabis offenses dropped from 215,865 cases in 2023 to 101,345 in 2024.

That is 114,520 fewer cases, a 53% fall, according to Le Cannabiste.

What the German reform changed

Germany legalized personal possession, home growing and non-profit cultivation associations in April 2024, as both sources report. The reform also removed medical cannabis from the German Narcotics Act, per The Marijuana Herald.

The model differs from the commercial recreational markets of Canada and some US states. For readers searching for cannabis laws in Germany, the study only covers the effects on offenses and alcohol, not the detailed rules. Our guide to social clubs and fines in Spain shows how another European country handles the question.

Why offenses dropped so sharply

The fall is largely attributed to the decriminalization of possession and home growing, rather than to a change in behavior. In other words, acts that were once recorded as offenses no longer count as such.

All drug offenses combined fell 34.2% between 2023 and 2024, according to Le Cannabiste.

Alcohol figures keep trending down

Alcohol consumption among people aged 15 and over fell from 12.2 litres of pure alcohol per head in 2010 to 10.5 litres in 2024, per The Marijuana Herald. Hospital stays for alcohol-related disorders went from 270,743 in 2023 to 266,783 in 2024.

Over ten years (2014-2024), such hospitalizations fell 28.9%, according to Le Cannabiste, which also cites 14,400 alcohol-attributable deaths in Germany in 2024.

• Alcohol use per head: 12.2 L (2010) to 10.5 L (2024)
• Alcohol hospital stays: 270,743 (2023) to 266,783 (2024)
• Cannabis offenses: 215,865 (2023) to 101,345 (2024)

Researchers urge caution on causes

The decline in alcohol use began well before legalization. The authors say the aggregated data do not indicate that legalization increased alcohol consumption, as reported by The Marijuana Herald. Surveys also show no substantial rise in cannabis use among German adults.

They warn, however, that fuller analyses are needed to know whether legalization contributed to any change. The figures are national aggregates over a short period, so no cause and effect can be established.

Official evaluation due in 2028

Two of the researchers take part in the government’s official evaluation of the reform. A final report is planned for April 2028, covering alcohol and nicotine use, cannabis use and health outcomes.

The team also plans to examine whether legalization affects cigarettes, vaping and other nicotine products.

Ce que ça change pour toi

This study is about statistics, not about what you can buy or do. It would not, by itself, change the rules that apply to you, and those rules differ from one European country to another. Check the official texts of your own country before acting.

If you want to understand the products around this topic, our guide to what edibles are is a neutral starting point. You can also browse the CBD flower collection. Every Spliff product is lab-tested: THC content below 0.3% (0% for vapes and pods). The lab analysis of each batch is available on request from customer service.