The Robert Koch Institute published new figures on cannabis consumption among young people in Germany on July 1st. The analysis in the Journal of Health Monitoring is based on the 2025 Drug Affinity Study by the Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG), the former Federal Center for Health Education. The central finding: among young men aged 18 to 25, consumption continues to rise, while it declines among minors.
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The Numbers from the 2025 Drug Affinity Study
For the survey, BIÖG interviewed a total of 7,001 adolescents and young adults aged 12 to 25 between April and July 2025. Among men aged 18 to 25, 31.6 percent reported cannabis consumption in the past twelve months. For women of the same age, the figure was significantly lower at 18.8 percent.
Among minors, the figures are expectedly lower. 7.2 percent of male and 4.6 percent of female adolescents between 12 and 17 years old reported cannabis consumption. Between 2023 and 2025, consumption increased particularly among young men, while remaining largely stable among adolescents and young women.
A Trend Older Than Partial Legalization
The long time horizon is striking. According to the RKI, cannabis consumption among young men has been rising for nearly 20 years. The increase began long before the Cannabis Act and continues after partial legalization in April 2024. One year after the law took effect, experts could not establish a direct short-term effect of the legislative change on consumption prevalence.
The new data thus align with a picture drawn by other studies. An analysis from the University of Trier concluded that cannabis consumption remained largely stable after legalization. The European Drug Report 2026 also places the German market within a long-term European trend rather than interpreting it as a consequence of individual laws.
Decline Among Minors, Increase Among Young Adults
The divergent development between age groups is remarkable. While consumption increases among young adults, it remains low among minors or even declines. This observation aligns with earlier findings showing that cannabis consumption among adolescents reached a historic low. Another older study on occasional cannabis use among young people showed that minors respond differently than young adults.
This distinction is important for youth protection. The Cannabis Act prohibits distribution to minors, and rules on cannabis handling at schools are specifically aimed at this age group. The new data suggest that this protection has not yet been undermined.
What the Results Mean for Prevention
BIÖG experts connect their figures with an expansion of prevention programs. The focus increasingly shifts to young adults, who have historically received less attention from traditional addiction prevention efforts. Those who consume cannabis regularly at 20 or 22 years old fall outside school-based programs designed for adolescents.
Whether partial legalization will change consumption long-term cannot be answered reliably after just over a year. The Drug Affinity Study provides an important baseline for this. Only the surveys of the coming years will show whether the upward trend among young men continues or whether the market reorganizes itself following the new regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many young men consume cannabis according to the study?
Among men aged 18 to 25, 31.6 percent reported cannabis consumption in the past twelve months. For young women in the same age group, the figure was 18.8 percent.
Has partial legalization increased consumption?
The RKI could not establish a direct short-term effect of partial legalization on consumption prevalence one year after it took effect. The increase among young men began before the legislative change and has been occurring for nearly 20 years.
Who conducted the 2025 Drug Affinity Study?
The study comes from the Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG), the former Federal Center for Health Education. The RKI published the analysis in its Journal of Health Monitoring.
How is consumption developing among minors?
Among 12- to 17-year-olds, the share is significantly lower, at 7.2 percent for boys and 4.6 percent for girls. In this group, consumption recently remained stable or declined.
Why is consumption rising specifically among young men?
The study describes the trend but does not name a single cause. Experts point to social normalization, improved availability, and gender-specific risk behavior. Prevention efforts are therefore increasingly targeted at young adults.
Sollte Prävention stärker auf junge Erwachsene ausgerichtet werden?
Sources: Robert Koch Institute, Journal of Health Monitoring 3/2025; Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG), Drug Affinity Study 2025; German Medical Journal.
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