Cannabis Clubs in Germany Continue to Rise in Number

The number of applications and licenses granted for cannabis clubs in Germany has continued to rise at a steady pace throughout September, although the growth rate has slowed compared to previous months.

According to the latest data, 14 licenses have been granted across four federal states, as more territories and licensing bodies consolidate their application and licensing processes.

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First Cannabis Clubs Rejections Reported

During the month, the first rejections of applications were also announced, primarily in Lower Saxony, which continues to register the highest number of cannabis clubs applications among all states.

Despite the ongoing growth in cannabis clubs, applicants across the country still face uncertain or inconsistent regulations from state to state, while others report difficulties in securing the necessary properties to begin their application process.

Total Applications for Cannabis Clubs Increasing but Slowing in September

Since last month, the total number of cannabis clubs which have confirmed applications has increased by 34%, rising from 226 in August to 303 in the final full week of September.

This figure is lower than the 237% increase observed between July and August, when the number of applications rose from 67 to 226.

North Rhine-Westphalia experienced the largest increase in applications from cannabis clubs during this period, jumping from five applications in July to 69 in September, reflecting a change of +64 applications between August and September.

State Number of Applications in July Number of Applications in August Number of Applications in September Change Number of Licenses Number of Rejections

State	Number of Applications in July	Number of Applications in August	Number of Applications in September	Change	Number of Licenses	Number of Rejections
Baden-Württemberg	20	41	53	12	0	0
Bavaria	7	20	25	5	0	0
Berlin	1	20	21	1	1	0
Brandenburg	0	5	10	5	0	0
Bremen	0	1	3	2	0	0
Hamburg	5	7	12	5	0	0
Hesse	2	9	17	8	0	0
Mecklenburg-West Pomerania	0	3	3	0	1	0
Lower Saxony	16	21	27	6	11	8
North Rhine-Westphalia	5	53	69	16	0	0
Rhineland-Palatinate	4	17	23	6	1	0
Saarland	6	2	3	1	0	0
Saxony	0	8	10	2	0	0
Saxony-Anhalt	0	6	11	5	0	0
Schleswig-Holstein	0	9	11	2	0	1
Thuringia	1	4	5	1	0	0
TOTAL	67	226	303	77	14	9

Elsewhere, Baden-Württemberg experienced a steady increase of 33 applications from cannabis clubs from July to September, with 21 applications between July and August and an additional 12 in September.

Hesse saw substantial growth, starting with two applications in July and reaching 17 in September, representing a total increase of 15 applications.

Licenses and Rejections Overview

The total number of licenses for cannabis clubs has also nearly doubled in one month, with Lower Saxony, previously the only region issuing licenses, adding three more, while three new territories obtained their first license.

The first cannabis clubs to report license rejections were nearly exclusively in Lower Saxony (eight rejections). Schleswig-Holstein, which received just 11 applications and has not yet issued any licenses, also rejected one application.

First Licensed Associations in Three New Territories

By the end of August, the State Office for Health and Social Affairs (LAGeSo) in Berlin issued its first license after receiving 21 applications since cannabis clubs were allowed to apply in July.

The Green Leaf Society e.V., based in Berlin’s Marzahn-Hellersdorf district, allows its members to cultivate and obtain up to 50 grams of cannabis per month for personal use.

Members pay a monthly fee of €89 for 10 grams of cannabis and are also required to complete two hours of volunteer work per month, with a penalty of €15 for each missing hour.

Similarly, at the end of August, the State Office for Agriculture, Food Safety, and Fisheries of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania in Rostock (LALLF) issued its first cannabis clubs license to the soChill Green Cannabis Club Greifswald e.V.

The club, founded in January 2022, stated that the license marks the culmination of three years of advocacy and lobbying. It now plans to start cultivating cannabis and offering propagation material to its “exclusive” members.

The Office of Social Affairs, Youth, and Welfare (LSJV) of Rhineland-Palatinate reportedly issued its first license, but Business of Cannabis has not been able to confirm to which club it was granted.

Strict Location Rules Causing Frustration for Cannabis Clubs

Strict rules concerning the location of cannabis clubs remain a source of frustration for potential owners, as they must be situated outside a 200-meter radius of schools and youth establishments.

A founder in Saxony told local media that he continues to face refusals from landlords once they learn what the applicant intends to do with the property.

These delays, which the owner attributes to the stigma surrounding cannabis clubs, have reportedly caused the club to lose a quarter of its members.

Applicants cannot begin the process until they secure a location where they intend to cultivate cannabis.

Differences in Licensing Cannabis Clubs Across States

Further questions about cannabis clubs were raised during a panel at this year’s CB Expo in Dortmund, which took place from September 19 to 21. The panel discussed the very different tactics employed by various states for their licensing procedures, as reported by Krautinvest.

For instance, officials in Hamburg have actively sought dialogue with applicants, while southern states like Baden-Württemberg have already implemented strict guidelines. This north-south divide creates uncertainty for applicants depending on their location.

Additionally, due to the vague nature of much of the language in the KCanG law, confusion remains widespread among both applicants from cannabis clubs, and authorities. Many officials often come from unrelated fields and are unfamiliar with handling cannabis applications, leading to inconsistent interpretations of the law.

Applicants also report that some authorities are asking for more information than legally required about their cannabis clubs, such as organizational or financial plans.

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(Featured image by Budding . via Unsplash)

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