The number of both applications and licences granted for cannabis social clubs in Germany has continued to grow at pace throughout September, but growth has slowed month-on-month.
According to the latest data, 14 licences have now been granted in four federal states, as more territories and awarding bodies solidify their application and licencing process.
During the month, we have also seen the first application rejections be announced, primarily in Lower Saxony, which continues to have the highest number of applications of any state.
Despite the ongoing growth, applicants across the country continue to struggle with uncertain or inconsistent regulations from state to state, while others report struggling to secure property in order to begin their application process.
Since our last update on cannabis social clubs last month, the total number of confirmed applications has growth by 34%, from 226 in August to 303 in the last full week of September.
This is down on the 237% increase seen between July and August, where the number of applications grew from 67 to 226.
North Rhine-Westphalia saw the highest increase in applications over this period, growing from five applications in July to 69 in September, a change of +64 applications between August and September.
Elsewhere, Baden-Württemberg experienced a steady increase of 33 applications from July to September, including 21 applications between July and August and another 12 applications in September.
Hesse showed substantial growth, starting with two applications in July and reaching 17 applications by September, representing a total increase of 15 applications.
The total number of permits has also nearly doubled since our last report, with Lower Saxony, previously the only region to issue any permits, adding a further three applications, and three new territories granting their inaugural licences.
The first permit rejections have also been reported, concentrated almost entirely in Lower Saxony (eight rejections). Schleswig-Holstein, which has only received 11 applications and is yet to issue any permits, also rejected a single application.
In late August, Berlin’s State Office for Health and Social Affairs (LAGeSo) issued its first licence after having received 21 applications since the clubs were allowed to begin applying in July.
The Green Leaf Society e.V., based in Berlin’s Marzahn-Hellersdorf district, allows members to grow and access up to 50 grams of cannabis per month for personal use.
Members will pay a monthly fee of €89 for 10 grams of cannabis, and are also required to complete two hours of volunteer work each month, or face a €15 penalty per missed hour.
Similarly, in late August, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s State Office for Agriculture, Food Safety and Fisheries in Rostock (LALLF) issued its first licence to soChill Green Cannabis Club Greifswald e.V.
According to the club, which was founded in January 2022, the licence marks the culmination of three years of advocacy and lobbying efforts, and now plans to begin cultivating cannabis and offering propogation materials for its ‘exclusive’ membership.
Rhineland-Palatinate’s State Office for Social Affairs, Youth and Welfare (LSJV) is also understood to have issued it’s first licence, but Business of Cannabis has been unable to confirm which club this was granted to.
Stringent rules around where cannabis clubs can be situated is causing frustration among would-be owners, requiring them to be outside of a 200m radius of schools and youth facilities.
One founder in Saxony told local media that they continue to face rejections by landlords once they learn what the applicant intends to do with the property.
These delays, which the owner said is based on the stigmatization surrounding cannabis, have reportedly caused the club to lose a quarter of its members.
Applicants are unable to start the process until they have secured a premises on which they intend to grow cannabis.
Other issues were raised during a session at this year’s CB Expo in Dortmund, which took place between the 19th and 21st of September.
The panel discussed the vastly different tactics individual states are employing for their licencing procedures, Krautinvest reported.
For instance, officials in Hamburg have actively sought dialogue with applicants, while in southern states like Baden-Württemberg, strict guidelines are already in place. This north-south divide creates uncertainty for applicants depending on their location.
Furthermore, due to the vague nature of much of the language in the KCanG law, there remains widespread confusion among both applicants and authorities, with many officials often coming from unrelated fields and being unfamiliar with processing cannabis applications, leading to inconsistent interpretations of the law.
Applicants also report that some authorities are requesting more information than legally required, such as organisational or financial plans.
The post Germany’s Cannabis Club Applications Continue to Rise but Growth Has Slowed in September appeared first on Business of Cannabis.
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According to the latest data, 14 licences have now been granted in four federal states, as more territories and awarding bodies solidify their application and licencing process.
During the month, we have also seen the first application rejections be announced, primarily in Lower Saxony, which continues to have the highest number of applications of any state.
Despite the ongoing growth, applicants across the country continue to struggle with uncertain or inconsistent regulations from state to state, while others report struggling to secure property in order to begin their application process.
Total applications continue to grow, but slow in September
Since our last update on cannabis social clubs last month, the total number of confirmed applications has growth by 34%, from 226 in August to 303 in the last full week of September.
This is down on the 237% increase seen between July and August, where the number of applications grew from 67 to 226.
North Rhine-Westphalia saw the highest increase in applications over this period, growing from five applications in July to 69 in September, a change of +64 applications between August and September.
| Federal State | No. of Applications July | No. of Applications August | No. of Applications September | Change | Number of Permits | 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-Western 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 July to September, including 21 applications between July and August and another 12 applications in September.
Hesse showed substantial growth, starting with two applications in July and reaching 17 applications by September, representing a total increase of 15 applications.
The total number of permits has also nearly doubled since our last report, with Lower Saxony, previously the only region to issue any permits, adding a further three applications, and three new territories granting their inaugural licences.
The first permit rejections have also been reported, concentrated almost entirely in Lower Saxony (eight rejections). Schleswig-Holstein, which has only received 11 applications and is yet to issue any permits, also rejected a single application.
First associations licenced in three new territories
In late August, Berlin’s State Office for Health and Social Affairs (LAGeSo) issued its first licence after having received 21 applications since the clubs were allowed to begin applying in July.
The Green Leaf Society e.V., based in Berlin’s Marzahn-Hellersdorf district, allows members to grow and access up to 50 grams of cannabis per month for personal use.
Members will pay a monthly fee of €89 for 10 grams of cannabis, and are also required to complete two hours of volunteer work each month, or face a €15 penalty per missed hour.
Similarly, in late August, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s State Office for Agriculture, Food Safety and Fisheries in Rostock (LALLF) issued its first licence to soChill Green Cannabis Club Greifswald e.V.
According to the club, which was founded in January 2022, the licence marks the culmination of three years of advocacy and lobbying efforts, and now plans to begin cultivating cannabis and offering propogation materials for its ‘exclusive’ membership.
Rhineland-Palatinate’s State Office for Social Affairs, Youth and Welfare (LSJV) is also understood to have issued it’s first licence, but Business of Cannabis has been unable to confirm which club this was granted to.
Issues and confusion remain
Stringent rules around where cannabis clubs can be situated is causing frustration among would-be owners, requiring them to be outside of a 200m radius of schools and youth facilities.
One founder in Saxony told local media that they continue to face rejections by landlords once they learn what the applicant intends to do with the property.
These delays, which the owner said is based on the stigmatization surrounding cannabis, have reportedly caused the club to lose a quarter of its members.
Applicants are unable to start the process until they have secured a premises on which they intend to grow cannabis.
Other issues were raised during a session at this year’s CB Expo in Dortmund, which took place between the 19th and 21st of September.
The panel discussed the vastly different tactics individual states are employing for their licencing procedures, Krautinvest reported.
For instance, officials in Hamburg have actively sought dialogue with applicants, while in southern states like Baden-Württemberg, strict guidelines are already in place. This north-south divide creates uncertainty for applicants depending on their location.
Furthermore, due to the vague nature of much of the language in the KCanG law, there remains widespread confusion among both applicants and authorities, with many officials often coming from unrelated fields and being unfamiliar with processing cannabis applications, leading to inconsistent interpretations of the law.
Applicants also report that some authorities are requesting more information than legally required, such as organisational or financial plans.
The post Germany’s Cannabis Club Applications Continue to Rise but Growth Has Slowed in September appeared first on Business of Cannabis.
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