Only 7% of German Cannabis Users Had Ever Discussed Use With Their Doctor
Among over 2,000 Germans who had used cannabis, just 7% had ever spoken to their general practitioner about it, even after Germany legalized cannabis in 2024.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Only 7.0% of 2,057 ever-users reported discussing cannabis with their GP. The rate was higher among past-year users (16.2%) and frequent users (up to 26%). Discussion was more common among those aged 65+, with low education, low income, and frequent use.
Key Numbers
2,057 ever-users; 7.0% (n=139) ever discussed cannabis with GP; 16.2% of past-year users; up to 26% of frequent users; associated with older age (65+), low education, low income, and frequent use; Germany legalized April 1, 2024
How They Did This
Repeated cross-sectional household survey (DEBRA study) of Germans aged 14+ conducted in bi-monthly waves. All respondents who reported ever using cannabis were asked whether they had discussed their use with a GP or received advice.
Why This Research Matters
Germany legalized cannabis in April 2024, making this a critical moment for primary care. If only 7% of cannabis users discuss their use with doctors, the opportunity for harm reduction, screening, and clinical guidance is being largely missed.
The Bigger Picture
Post-legalization, the primary care setting becomes the logical venue for cannabis-related guidance. But if the vast majority of users never bring it up and doctors do not ask, legalization alone will not bridge the gap between use and informed medical oversight.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design captures a snapshot, cannot determine if legalization changed discussion rates, self-report may undercount discussions, German healthcare system may differ from others, survey conducted around legalization transition
Questions This Raises
- ?Will cannabis legalization increase patient-provider discussions over time?
- ?Should GPs routinely screen for cannabis use the way they screen for alcohol?
- ?What barriers prevent cannabis users from discussing use with their doctors?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Only 7% of German cannabis users had ever discussed their use with a doctor
- Evidence Grade:
- Large representative household survey with validated measures; strong descriptive data for Germany but may not generalize to other countries
- Study Age:
- Published 2025
- Original Title:
- What proportion of people who use cannabis in Germany have spoken with their general practitioner about their consumption? A repeated cross-sectional representative population survey.
- Published In:
- Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 76 (2025)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06095
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do cannabis users talk to their doctors about it?
In this German survey, only 7% of over 2,000 cannabis users had ever discussed their use with a general practitioner. The rate was higher (16-26%) among frequent and recent users.
Who is most likely to discuss cannabis use with a doctor?
Older adults (65+), people with lower education and income, and frequent cannabis users were the most likely to have discussed their use with a GP.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06095APA
Borchardt, Benjamin; Klosterhalfen, Stephanie; Kotz, Daniel. (2025). What proportion of people who use cannabis in Germany have spoken with their general practitioner about their consumption? A repeated cross-sectional representative population survey.. Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 76. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00329-0
MLA
Borchardt, Benjamin, et al. "What proportion of people who use cannabis in Germany have spoken with their general practitioner about their consumption? A repeated cross-sectional representative population survey.." Journal of cannabis research, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00329-0
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "What proportion of people who use cannabis in Germany have s..." RTHC-06095. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/borchardt-2025-what-proportion-of-people
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.