How many cannabis clubs are licensed in Lower Saxony?

Status: August 2026. In Lower Saxony, the Ministry of Agriculture reported on 17 August 2026 that 100 licences had been granted to cannabis associations. 148 applications had been received. The Landwirtschaftskammer Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony agricultural chamber) is responsible for the licence. Anyone who wants the current status of a particular association should ask there, because a press release only shows the point in time of its date.

The figures from August 2026

On 17 August 2026, the ministry gave four pieces of information, all based on the announcement itself:

• 148 applications for a licence for cannabis associations,
• 100 licences granted,
• cannabis associations in 36 of 45 districts, independent towns and the Region of Hanover,
• the Landwirtschaftskammer Niedersachsen as the competent authority.

The figure of 100 states how many decisions have been granted. It says nothing about membership numbers, capacity utilisation or the work of individual associations.

Why 148 applications are not 100 clubs

The difference of 48 follows arithmetically. The announcement does not say, however, how many of these applications were rejected, how many are still open, or whether any were withdrawn. Only the competent authority knows that. For how other states count, see the status from Hesse.

Anyone interested in a particular association should ask the Landwirtschaftskammer about the processing status. A licence is the precondition for an association to grow cannabis together and pass it on to members.

What a licence requires

Under § 11(1) KCanG, shared cultivation and passing cannabis on to members require a licence from the competent authority. The application must be made in writing or electronically. It must contain the information and evidence listed in § 11(4) and be written in German. The list is set out in the law itself. Anyone planning to found an association should read it there before assembling documents.

The licence comes with duties. Every cannabis association must appoint a member as prevention officer, whom the board appoints (§ 23(4) KCanG). It must also draw up a health and youth protection concept (§ 23(6) KCanG).

What applies to members

Only people who are at least 18 years old and have a residence or habitual abode in Germany can become members of a cannabis association (§ 16(1) and (4) KCanG). A person may be a member of only one cannabis association (§ 16(2), second sentence, KCanG). An association may have at most 500 members (§ 16(2), first sentence, KCanG). The articles of association of each association also govern admission, contributions and participation.

Only members may grow cannabis together (§ 17(1) KCanG). Membership is therefore the precondition for taking part in shared cultivation.

What still applies outside a club

The number of clubs does not change the rules for private possession. From the age of 18, possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis is permitted (§ 3(1) KCanG). At the place of residence or habitual abode, up to 50 grams of flowers is permitted (§ 3(2) No. 1 KCanG). Home cultivation is limited to a maximum of three cannabis plants at the same time (§ 9(1) KCanG). Cannabis from home cultivation may not be passed on to third parties (§ 9(2) KCanG).

Prevention around the clubs

The law protects young people in several places. On the enclosed premises of a cannabis association, people under 18 have no access (§ 23(1) KCanG). Consumption is prohibited in schools, on children’s playgrounds and in children’s and youth facilities, including within sight of them (§ 5(2) KCanG). A consumption ban also applies in the immediate presence of persons under 18 (§ 5(1) KCanG).

The Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG) writes that the young brain is in an important stage of development, and that consumption can affect this development. Youth protection therefore remains a core issue around a club too. Anyone talking with young people can explain calmly why age matters.

Where to find the original source

The press release of the Ministry of Agriculture dated 17 August 2026 is on the ministry’s website at ml.niedersachsen.de. The text of the law, for example § 11 KCanG, is on gesetze-im-internet.de. Figures change, so the date of the source always belongs with them. For questions about individual applications or associations, the Landwirtschaftskammer is the right contact.

How to put the figures from Lower Saxony in context

A figure from a press release is a snapshot. Anyone using it in a text should state the date and name the source. The figure of 100 licences describes the status as of 17 August 2026. It describes neither the number of active associations nor the number of members.

A more precise picture needs three details: the date, the number of applications and the number of licences granted. The ratio gives a rough sense of how far the procedure has advanced in the state. No conclusion about the quality or safety of an individual association can be drawn from it.

Prevention is also part of the procedure. Every association must contribute to comprehensive youth and health protection (§ 23(4) KCanG). This duty applies regardless of how many associations exist in the state.

What you can do now

• Keep the figures in mind together with their date, because they change.
• If you are interested in an association, ask the Landwirtschaftskammer for its processing status.
• Read the law on membership and duties before you join an association.
• For questions about your own use, call the Sucht und Drogen Hotline: 01806 313031.

For individual questions about penalties, possession or driving licences, a specialist lawyer can help. More on prevention is on the youth protection page and in the section on current affairs and legal developments.