About a year and a half after the partial legalization of cannabis in Germany, 343 associations have been granted permission to cultivate and distribute cannabis to their members, as reported by Der Spiegel.
According to data obtained from state ministries and related agencies, Der Spiegel found that these Cannabis Clubs are far from evenly spread across the country. North Rhine-Westphalia leads with 96 approved clubs, followed by Lower Saxony with 68. In fact, cannabis users in Lower Saxony currently have the easiest access in Germany, with 8.5 clubs per million inhabitants, more than in any other state.
The number may soon grow further, according to the publication. The Chamber of Agriculture of Lower Saxony reportedly has over 50 additional applications from associations awaiting approval.
Other northern states show moderate figures: Hamburg has 13 licensed clubs, while Schleswig-Holstein counts 10. By contrast, in Bavaria, obtaining approval appears to be much more difficult, or fewer residents are willing to apply. Authorities there have so far authorized only eight clubs. Baden-Württemberg follows with 26, while in eastern Germany, Saxony leads with 21.
Source: Der Spiegel
