Support for legalization is driven by broad societal expectations, while actual home cultivation is driven by personal cannabis experience and individual motivation.
Cannabis policy researchers, EU drug policy makers, public opinion analysts
What the researchers found
Sociodemographic associations with support and cultivation are largely explained by cannabis experience. Age and consumption were the most consistent correlates. Expectations about legalization consequences strongly predicted support but showed little relation to actual cultivation behavior. The only consistently negative expectation across all groups was that legalization may increase cannabis use in society.
Why it matters
As the largest EU country to legalize home cultivation, Germany's experience will shape cannabis policy across Europe. Understanding the gap between public support (driven by beliefs) and actual behavior (driven by experience) helps predict real-world policy outcomes.
The numbers in context
1,500 respondents in representative panel. People who have cultivated expressed substantially higher support and more favorable expectations. Overall evaluations of legalization tended positive. Only shared negative expectation: legalization may increase societal cannabis use.
How the study worked
Hierarchical regression analyses of representative online panel survey data (n=1,500) examining factors associated with support for legalization and self-reported home cannabis cultivation in post-legalization Germany.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional survey early after legalization — attitudes and behavior may evolve. Self-reported cultivation may be underreported even after legalization. Online panel may not perfectly represent German population. Social desirability bias possible.
How to read the evidence
Representative national survey with robust statistical analysis, limited by cross-sectional design early in the legalization period.
When this study was published
Published 2026, first empirical evidence on German home cultivation after 2024 legalization.
The bigger picture
Germany's home cultivation experiment reveals a fundamental insight for cannabis policy: what people believe about legalization and what they actually do are driven by different factors. Supporters aren't necessarily users, and users aren't necessarily supporters.
Questions still open
- Will home cultivation rates increase as post-legalization novelty wears off? Do cultivation experiences change attitudes? How will Germany's experience influence other EU countries' cannabis policies?
Common questions
Are many Germans growing cannabis at home since legalization?
What do Germans think about cannabis legalization?
Read the original research
Public attitudes and lifetime home cannabis cultivation - a survey after legalization in Germany.
The International journal on drug policy, 148, 105121
Citation
Lehberger, Mira; Kleih, Anne-Katrin; Sparke, Kai. (2026). Public attitudes and lifetime home cannabis cultivation - a survey after legalization in Germany.. The International journal on drug policy, 148, 105121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.105121
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