Survey Examines Cannabis Use and GP Discussions in Germany

How will cannabis consumption behavior in Germany change since the legalization of cannabis starting April 1, 2024? With use potentially increasing, the need for education on harm reduction efforts may also be needed. In order to further explore harm reduction efforts for cannabis use in Germany, researchers conducted a survey to examine how cannabis consumers talked with their general practitioners (GP) about cannabis consumption (1). Additionally, the characteristics of the respondents were also analyzed. Ultimately, the percentage of those who discussed cannabis consumption was low. The researchers noted that, alongside legalization, Germany had emphasized an increase prevention of harms to consumers’ health related to cannabis consumption. Early knowledge and discussions with a GP can play a significant role in preventive measures, they added. The study, “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,” was published in the Journal of Cannabis Research in October 2025.

Study Overview: the DEBRA Survey on Cannabis Use

To collect the data, the researchers utilized the ongoing German Study on Tobacco Use (DEBRA), which is used for tracking responses on tobacco and alternative nicotine in individuals ages 14 and older. DEBRA began in 2016, and two questions about cannabis use were included during March to November 2023, before legalization took effect. For respondents that stated they had used cannabis in the past year, the researchers asked if they had ever discussed their cannabis use with their GP. The characteristics of the respondents – including sociodemographic, location, and frequency of cannabis use – were collected in order to help identify who could potentially benefit from proactive health interventions from a GP.

Survey Results: How Many Cannabis Users Talked to Their GPs?

Out of 10,588 respondents, 9,718 answered the survey questions on cannabis. Cannabis in this case was defined to be products eliciting “drug-like exhilarating effects,” and excluding cannabidiol, for example. Frequent cannabis use was defined as using cannabis at least once per week, and infrequent use was considered to be less than once per week.

• 2,057 out of the 9,718 indicated that they had used cannabis in the past
• 139 of these respondents stated that they had either discussed their cannabis use with their GP or requested their advice
• The characteristics associated with these respondents were older age, a lower attainment of education, lower income, and frequent cannabis use
• Discussion about cannabis use with their GP was more common for individuals who had used cannabis within the past year
• Individuals who had used cannabis, and had higher education and income, had a 59% lower chance of having discussed cannabis use with their GP

Implications: What These Results Mean for Harm Reduction and Education

Limitations to the study include the lack of distinction between medical and recreational cannabis use, the lack of data on whether the discussion on cannabis consumption was initiated by the GP, and what imitated the topic of cannabis in the discussion. Minors typically do not see a GP, but rather a pediatrician, meaning the results in for individuals between 14 and 24 may be an underestimate.

Ultimately, the results demonstrated that 6-8% of the population who used cannabis had spoken with their GP about their consumption. They provide a starting point for evaluating the impacts of legalization in Germany in the future, the researchers explained. “The awareness of this topic among GPs needs to be increased,” they concluded. “Furthermore, a future re-evaluation of what impact cannabis legalization will have on the frequency of consultation about cannabis consumption in primary care is necessary.”

Reference

1. Borchardt, B.; Klosterhalfen, S.; Kotz, D. 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. J Cannabis Res. 2025. 7(76). DOI: 10.1186/s42238-025-00329-0