Young adults between 18 and 25 years old are consuming considerably more cannabis than they did a decade ago, according to a study conducted by the Federal Institute for Public Health.
The survey found that 31.6 percent of young men reported using cannabis at least once in the past year, up from 20.6 percent in 2015. Among young women, the proportion rose from 9.7 percent to 18.8 percent over the same period. In 2023, 26.9 percent of young men and 19.4 percent of young women in this age group said they had consumed cannabis in the previous twelve months.
By contrast, cannabis use among adolescents aged 12 to 17 declined slightly. In 2015, 6.3 percent of girls and 8.1 percent of boys reported using cannabis, compared with 4.6 percent of girls and 7.2 percent of boys in 2025. In 2023, the corresponding figures were 6.1 percent for girls and 7.4 percent for boys. Lifetime cannabis use among adolescents also decreased, with 6.2 percent of girls and 8.5 percent of boys reporting having tried cannabis, compared to 8.2 percent and 11.2 percent in 2015.
Among young adults, lifetime cannabis use increased significantly. In 2015, 26.6 percent of young women and 41.9 percent of young men reported having ever used cannabis. In 2025, the figures rose to 40.6 percent and 54.5 percent, respectively.
"Our data show that consumption among adolescents has not increased," explained Johannes Nießen, acting director of the Federal Institute. "Among young adults, however, consumption has increased slightly, particularly among men between 18 and 25 years of age."
Cannabis is particularly harmful to young people because, among other things, it can impair brain development and lead to concentration and memory problems. According to the study, 10.7 percent of adolescents and 13.2 percent of young adults exhibit problematic use behavior.
For the representative study, 7,001 adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12 and 25 were surveyed. The survey took place from April to July 2025. The previous study ran between April and June 2023, i.e., before the partial legalization of cannabis, which came into force on April 1, 2024. Possession and controlled cultivation for private use have been permitted with restrictions since then.
Accordingly, the proportion of young adults who reported easy access to cannabis increased. In 2023, 37.5 percent of young men believed it was easy for them to obtain the drug within 24 hours; in 2025, this figure rose to 45.8 percent. For women, this figure rose from 24.8 percent in 2023 to 32.1 percent today. Among adolescents, the increase was less pronounced, from 12.0 to 12.6 percent for boys and from 9.1 to 9.5 percent for girls.
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