How many cannabis associations has Saxony-Anhalt approved?

Status: October 2026. According to a report by the news agency dpa dated 15 October 2026, the Landesamt für Verbraucherschutz in Saxony-Anhalt has so far granted 19 licences for cannabis clubs. The figure was given on request from dpa. The report does not name a fixed cut-off date. Anyone using the figure should therefore cite it as information given on 15 October 2026.

The figure and its source

The report gives three pieces of information:

• The state office for consumer protection has so far granted 19 licences for cannabis clubs.
• According to the authority, all clubs approved so far are active.
• The authority does not record membership numbers on a continuous basis.

The figure is information given on request, with an unclear date of collection. The word “so far” shows that it can change. For that reason, the date of the report matters more than the figure itself.

Who is responsible in Saxony-Anhalt

The Landesamt für Verbraucherschutz is responsible for the licence. It examines applications under § 11 KCanG and grants the licence for shared cultivation and for passing cannabis on to members. Anyone applying submits the documents to this authority.

The fact that a club in Saxony-Anhalt holds a licence says nothing about its membership numbers or its offer. The club answers those questions itself, under its articles of association.

What a federal 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) KCanG, in German.

A licence once granted binds the association to duties. The board appoints a member as prevention officer (§ 23(4) KCanG). The association 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). Only members may grow cannabis together (§ 17(1) KCanG).

Why comparisons between states are difficult

According to the report, eight applications had been approved by the end of 2024; by October 2026 the number of licences had risen to 19. According to the report, the authority generally inspects the clubs on site once a year. Anyone comparing Saxony-Anhalt with other states should pay attention to the reference date. The figures for Lower Saxony and Hesse are covered in their own articles, for example in the article on Lower Saxony.

What 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 and youth protection

On the enclosed premises of an 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).

The Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG) writes that the young brain is in an important stage of development. Consumption can affect this development, including memory. Anyone accompanying young people can explain calmly why age matters.

What 19 licences mean in comparison

The figure of 19 describes the status given in the report of 15 October 2026. The report does not give a total number of applications. For that reason, no success rate can be calculated from it.

The comparison with Lower Saxony shows the problem. There, 100 licences stand next to 148 applications. In Saxony-Anhalt, this second figure is missing from the report. A comparison of the two states is therefore only possible with caution.

Prevention and responsibility in the association

Anyone interested in an association in Saxony-Anhalt should read its articles of association and ask the state office about its status. The duties on prevention and youth protection apply to every association (§ 23(4) and (6) KCanG).

Consumption around schools and playgrounds remains prohibited (§ 5(2) KCanG). Anyone accompanying young people can talk with them about these limits before questions arise.

The duties on prevention and youth protection apply regardless of the number of licences. Every licence granted carries the same duties.

What you can do now

• When you pass on the figure, cite it with the date 15 October 2026.
• Ask the Landesamt für Verbraucherschutz for the current status.
• Read the articles of association of an association before you join it.
• 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. The section on current affairs and legal developments provides an overview of recent developments. For the nationwide position, see the article on nationwide licences.