Germany’s Cannabis Act (KCanG): The Rules, Early Results and Where Things Stand in 2026

Germany's cannabis law is one of the most talked-about regulations in Europe. It is natural to be curious about it from Turkey too: What exactly does the law allow, what has changed in two years, and what debates are still going on? In this article we summarize the law's basic rules, the first findings of the official evaluation and the situation as of October 2026, based on official sources.

What did the law change?

The Cannabis Act (Cannabisgesetz, CanG), passed by the German Bundestag (Federal Parliament), was published in the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt) on March 27, 2024. The law took cannabis out of the scope of the narcotics law and introduced two separate laws:

• Consumer Cannabis Act (KCanG): Rules on possession and growing for recreational use by adults. It took effect on April 1, 2024.
• Medical Cannabis Act (MedCanG): Rules for medical cannabis prescribed by a doctor.

The law did not bring "free sales." Shipping cannabis, home delivery and online sales are banned, and there are no sales in licensed shops either. The only legal sources are home growing, growing clubs and medical cannabis obtained with a prescription.

Basic rules for adults

Growing clubs

The law's most striking new feature is non-profit growing clubs (Anbauvereinigungen). A club may grow cannabis only for its own members and only with a permit from the state authority. The rules are strict:

• Up to 500 members per club; members must be at least 18 and must have lived in Germany for at least 6 months; the minimum membership period is 3 months.
• Each member can be given up to 25 grams a day and up to 50 grams a month.
• People aged 18–21 can be given up to 30 grams a month, with a THC content of no more than 10%.
• Cannabis is given only to members, for their own use; using it at the club is banned.

When the law was first drafted, regional "model projects" that would scientifically test sales in licensed shops were also being discussed. According to the Bundestag's news service, as of November 2025 none of the 65 applications for such scientific projects had been approved, and 9 had been rejected.

What changed for medical cannabis?

Medical cannabis no longer requires a special narcotics prescription; it can be obtained from a pharmacy with a regular prescription. According to the official evaluation's second interim report, this easier access quickly grew the medical cannabis market: in 2025 up to 200 tons of cannabis were available for medical use in Germany, making it, in principle, Europe's largest legal commercial cannabis market. The report notes that many online platforms also marketed prescription medical cannabis to recreational users, and that most of the young adults interviewed who use cannabis regularly obtained it from "online pharmacies."

Since July 29, 2026, statutory health insurance (GKV) no longer covers cannabis flower or preparations made from the flower; standardized extracts and medicines containing dronabinol or nabilone can still be prescribed (Federal Ministry of Health).

Early results: what does the official evaluation show?

The law requires its effects to be evaluated by independent scientists. This work is carried out by EKOCAN, a joint project of the universities of Hamburg, Tübingen and Düsseldorf (January 2025–April 2028). The first interim report was published in September 2025 and the second on April 1, 2026. The reports stress that the results are still preliminary. Key points:

• Use: An estimated 5.3 million adults in Germany used cannabis in 2024. The rise among adults that has been going on for about 15 years continues; no clear short-term effect of the law was seen.
• Young people: Use among young people stayed stable or fell slightly. However, referrals of young people to early intervention programs dropped, because fewer young people are now sent to these programs through the justice system.
• Criminal cases: Cannabis-related criminal cases fell by about 100,000 in 2024; people who use small amounts are no longer prosecuted.
• Clubs: Only 366 clubs had been approved by October 31, 2025; in 2025, at most 3.5% of users were able to get cannabis from a club.
• Sources: The share of people who said they mainly grew their own cannabis at home rose from 5.4% in the first half of 2024 to 21.4% in the second half of 2025. The most common source is still obtaining it (illegally) through acquaintances (35.2%).
• Black market: The report says the black market has been partly pushed back but is still a significant activity; cannabis seized by customs in 2025 rose more than fourfold compared with the year before. It is still too early to judge the effect on organized crime; the police and prosecution staff interviewed generally viewed the law negatively.

The debate continues

The law has been controversial since it was passed. The coalition agreement of the CDU/CSU–SPD government formed in May 2025 states that the law will undergo an evaluation "with an open outcome." Under the legal timetable, the comprehensive final evaluation will be completed in April 2028. As of October 2026, the Federal Ministry of Health describes the rules above as the rules in force.

How it differs from Turkey

The situation in Turkey is very different. Personal or recreational use of cannabis is not legal; growing cannabis without a permit is banned for any purpose, and home growing or clubs are not allowed. Products obtained from cannabis are regulated as medicines and health products, independently of Germany's consumer model: products obtained from cannabis, including CBD, can be sold only in pharmacies (Law No. 7557, regulation of January 31, 2026). Those in the medicine and health product category are dispensed with a prescription; no prescription requirement is stated for support products with a THC content of no more than 0.3%. As of October 2026, there is no approved (licensed) CBD medicine in Turkey. Details: Regulation guide. Bringing a product that is legal in Germany into Turkey, or using it in Turkey, is also subject to these rules.

Conclusion

Germany chose a path that gives adults limited possession, home growing and club membership but does not open up commercial sales. Data from the first two years point to a large drop in criminal cases, no rise among young people and clubs that have stayed much smaller than expected; they also show that the real growth has been in medical cannabis. A firm verdict will have to wait for the final evaluation in 2028. If you are curious about the difference between hemp and marijuana, you can take a look at this article.

Frequently asked questions

References