Germany sees rise in hospital admissions after cannabis legalization

Two years after Germany partially legalized adult possession and cultivation of cannabis in 2024, researchers from the University Medical Centers in Hamburg‑Eppendorf and Leipzig analyzed more than 70,000 hospital admissions. They found a moderate increase in cannabis‑related acute poisonings and psychosis cases, amounting to about a 7 % rise – roughly 1,395 additional adult admissions and 91 extra youth admissions compared with a scenario without the law change.

The authors wrote that the increase is "moderate" and lies in the single‑digit percent range. They suggest the rise is not driven by illegal street trade but likely by higher‑potency medical cannabis prescribed after the drug was removed from the Narcotics Act, making it easier for doctors to prescribe. Prescription cannabis averages 24 % THC, compared with about 15 % in street cannabis. They warned that "consumption of cannabis with more than 10 or 15 percent THC is linked to increased risk of psychological problems," potentially contributing to the observed psychoses. The federal cabinet has since introduced stricter rules governing access to medical cannabis.