Running an Anbauvereinigung in Germany: what the KCanG requires from cannabis clubs

Since 1 April 2024, Germany's Consumer Cannabis Act (Konsumcannabisgesetz, KCanG) has allowed Anbauvereinigungen (non-profit cultivation associations, Germany's version of cannabis social clubs) to grow cannabis together and distribute it to their members. The first licences were granted from 1 July 2024.

Unlike the Spanish association model, the German one is tightly regulated: each club needs a licence from its state authority and must be able to show at any time who its members are, how much has been grown and how much has been handed out. This guide summarises the most common areas of admin work.

1. Member management

• Up to 500 members per association.
• Only adults who have lived or habitually resided in Germany for at least six months can join.
• Each person can be a member of one Anbauvereinigung only.
• The law sets a minimum membership period (three months).

In practice this means checking age and residence at sign-up, storing data securely (GDPR/DSGVO) and being able to document every membership change.

2. Documentation and reporting duties (Dokumentationspflichten)

The KCanG requires associations to document, among other things:

• where seeds and cuttings came from,
• the quantities grown, stored, handed out and destroyed,
• every hand-out to a member (date, quantity and THC content),
• current stock.

These records must be kept for several years, and the association must report quantities to the competent authority on a regular basis. Without a structured system, this work piles up quickly.

3. Distribution limits (Weitergabe)

Cannabis may only be handed to members, in person and after an ID check, and never for profit: associations are funded through membership fees. The legal limits are:

• adults: up to 25 g per day and 50 g per month,
• members aged 18 to 21: up to 30 g per month, with a maximum THC content of 10%.

Cannabis is handed out in neutral packaging with an information leaflet. Tracking these limits per member is one of the tasks that benefits most from digital tools.

4. Prevention, youth protection and the advertising ban

Every association needs a health and youth protection concept and must appoint a prevention officer (Präventionsbeauftragte). The KCanG also bans advertising and sponsorship for Anbauvereinigungen and cannabis, and consumption on club premises is not allowed.

5. Tools for running the club

Many Anbauvereinigungen use specialised software to manage members, fees, cultivation, hand-outs and records in one system. One example is Cannanas, management software developed in Germany specifically for associations under the KCanG. It covers member management, finances, cultivation planning, seed-to-sale tracking, hand-out records and reports for the authorities, plus a member app.

Whatever tool you choose, check that it can export the data the authority asks for, that it is GDPR-compliant and that it tracks distribution limits per member automatically.

German clubs on Cannabis After Club

Cannabis After Club collects information on clubs worldwide. You can see the Anbauvereinigungen already listed on our Germany page. If you run one, you can sign up for free and claim your club's profile.

This article is for information only and is not legal advice. Rules can change and are applied differently from state to state; always check the current text of the KCanG and your competent authority.