Project description
On 1st April 2024, the Cannabis Act (CanG) came into force, which consists of the Act on the Handling of Cannabis for Non-Medical Use ("Konsumcannabisgesetz", KCanG) and the Act on the Handling of Cannabis for Medical Use ("Medizinal-Cannabisgesetz", MedCanG), among others. The KCanG prohibits the trade in cannabis, but allows the legal purchase of cannabis through private cultivation or membership of a cultivation association ("cannabis clubs") as well as the possession of up to 50 grams of cannabis (in private premises). The accompanying evaluation of the social impact is regulated in § 43 of the KCanG and is to be completed by 1st April 2028.
The research project analyses the effects in three target areas: 1) child and youth protection, 2) general health protection, and 3) cannabis-related crime.
The evaluation is organised in four work packages (WP):
- In WP1, various types of secondary data are brought together. A distinction can be made between survey data, such as the Epidemiological Addiction Survey, and routine data, such as hospital statistics. These are available in either aggregated or individual form.
- In WP2, various primary data is collected through qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys as well as market monitoring.
- In WP3, the data from WPs 1 and 2 are analysed in relation to the sub-objectives derived from the three overarching objectives. Indicators such as prevalence of cannabis use, THC content or sources of supply are used to analyse the above-mentioned questions.
- WP4 will comprise a synthesis of all available results, including those from other research projects. Planned dissemination activities include two interim reports (in October 2025 and April 2026), a final report, scientific publications and presentations, and a specialised conference in 2027.
Advisory board
An expert advisory board was set up at the beginning of the project. Consisting of stakeholders from science, medicine, psychosocial care, law enforcement, the judiciary, consumers, and the relevant federal ministries (including subordinate authorities), the board will critically monitor the project.
The following members make up the Advisory Board:
- German Centre for Addiction Issues
(Deutsche Hauptstelle für Suchtfragen
, an umbrella organisation and a common platform for German charitable associations specialising in addiction counselling, treatment and self-help) - Westphalia-Lippe Medical Association
(Ärztekammer Westfalen-Lippe
, regional professional body representing physicians in Westphalia-Lippe) - German Society for Addiction Medicine
(Deutsche Gesellschaft für Suchtmedizin
, medical association focused on addiction treatment and research) - Federal Association for Child and Youth Protection
(Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Kinder- und Jugendschutz e.V.
, national umbrella organisation promoting youth protection policies) - LWL - State Youth Welfare Office for Westphalia
(LWL-Landesjugendamt Westfalen
) - Committee on Criminal Law of the Federal Bar Association
(Strafrechtsausschuss der Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer
) - Association of German Criminal Investigators
(Bund Deutscher Kriminalbeamter
, professional organisation for criminal police officers) - German Association of Judges
(Deutscher Richterbund
, professional association of judges and public prosecutors in Germany) - Federal Ministry of the Interior
(Bundesministerium des Innern
) - Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity
(Bundesministerium für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Heimat
) - Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
(Bundesministerium für Bildung, Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend
) - Federal Ministry for Transport
(Bundesministerium für Verkehr
) - Federal Ministry of Health
(Bundesministerium für Gesundheit
) - Federal Ministry of Finance
(Bundesministerium der Finanzen
) - Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
(Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie
) - Office of the Federal Government Commissioner on Narcotic Drugs
(Arbeitsstab des Beauftragten der Bundesregierung für Sucht- und Drogenfragen
, coordinating Germany’s national drug and addiction policy) - Association of German Cities
(Deutscher Städtetag
, umbrella organisation representing the interests of German cities and municipalities) - Federal Criminal Police Office
(Bundeskriminalamt
) - Federal Highway Research Institute
(Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen
) - Robert Koch Institute
(Robert Koch-Institut
, national public health institute for infectious diseases and epidemiology) - Federal Institute for Public Health
(Bundesinstitut für Öffentliche Gesundheit
) - Hamburg Authority for Justice and Consumer Protection
(Behörde für Justiz und Verbraucherschutz (Hamburg)
) - German Hemp Association
(Deutscher Hanfverband
, advocacy group representing cannabis users) - CAD – Cannabis Cultivation Associations of Germany
(CAD – Cannabis Anbauvereinigungen Deutschlands
)
Secondary data
In addition to collecting our own data ('primary data'), we are currently examining which additional data sets can be included ('secondary data'). The following data is planned for inclusion:
| Survey data |
CannaStreet
(Effects of a new regulation of cannabis distribution on road safety) DEBRA (German Study on Tobacco Use) ESA (Epidemiological Survey of Substance Abuse) Drogenaffinitätsstudie/Alkoholsurvey (Drug Affinity among Young People/Development of Alcohol Consumption Among Young People) KoBeCa (Effects of the Cannabis Act on sources of supply, use and other factors among users) MoSyD (Monitoring system for drug trends) Präventionsradar (Prevention Radar study) SCHULBUS (Student and teacher survey on dealing with addictive substances) |
|---|---|
| Administrative ('routine') data | Data from 'Cannabis Social Clubs' AMoCan (Wastewater-based monitoring as part of the introduction of the Cannabis Act in Germany) BADO Hamburg (Data from outpatient addiction care facilities in Hamburg) Fining authorities Dot.sys (Documentation system for addiction prevention measures) DSHS (Data from addiction care facilities) DRG-Statistik (Diagnosis-Related Groups Statistic) Federal reports on 'Organised crime' Federal reports on drug-related crime Police crime statistics Statistics of the public prosecutor's offices Statistics of law enforcement Statistics of the penal system Statistics of usage for cannabis prevention websites of the Federal Institute of Public Health ( drugcom , cannabispraevention , infos-cannabis ) |
The EKOCAN research project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) under the funding guideline "Accompanying scientific evaluation of the Act on the Handling of Cannabis for Non-Medical Use (KCanG)".