Overview

• Germany's partial cannabis legalization, introduced in April 2024, has failed to significantly reduce the black market due to insufficient legal supply to meet demand.
• Bavaria has issued no cultivation permits and remains a stronghold of opposition, with state officials calling for a repeal of the law.
• Complex regulations, including consumption zones and storage rules, have created enforcement difficulties for municipalities across the country.
• While the law has reduced the workload for police and judiciary by eliminating many cannabis-related cases, critics argue it needs revisions to address loopholes enabling illegal trade.
• The federal government plans a comprehensive evaluation of the law's impact in October 2025, as debates over its future intensify.