How has Marijuana done in Germany

It’s been a year since Germany legalized marijuana, which was a big deal for the EU. It’s the third country to do so behind Malta and Luxembourg, but by far the biggest.

The way they enacted the legalization was a bit strange: instead of being able to buy weed in a store, you had to be a part of a social club, and the approval of such clubs is slow.

So, a year in, it’s worth checking in and seeing where Germany is at with it’s legal journey.

Berlin, Germany’s largest city, has had a number of social clubs pop up and try to get a permit. Of those 26 so far, only 5 have passed the process, and it took six months for the first permit to come out.

And to make matters more confusing, a new government is about to come into power. The party had campaigned on overturning legal marijuana, however as of Wednesday this week it seems that the conservative and center-left parties have agreed to keep their hands off of marijuana. This is a huge relief for the industry in Germany who were bracing for the worst.

So the process is slow and the future is shaky with a new government, but the longer it remains in effect the more difficult it will be to cut off its legs. Hopefully by April of 2026 we’ll be looking at dozens more permits being allocated and a stronger foundation.