Who are the cannabis patients in Germany? This informational episode presents the numbers: age groups, gender distribution, and why the image of the “young stoner” is long outdated.
The Numbers
Medical cannabis in Germany is used by a surprisingly broad age range. The average age is 57 – far from the cliché of the young recreational user.
Age Distribution
The BfArM study shows:
- 18–30 years: Smallest group, often chronic conditions
- 30–50 years: Growing group, stress and pain patients
- 50–70 years: Largest group, arthritis, rheumatism, neuropathy
- 70+ years: Rapidly growing, alternative to opioids
Why This Distribution?
Older patients often turn to cannabis after years of unsuccessful conventional therapy. When ibuprofen, tramadol, and gabapentin no longer help, they look for alternatives – and find them.
Gender Distribution
Approximately 60% male, 40% female. The gap is slowly closing as stigma decreases and more doctors offer cannabis as a treatment option.
What Does This Mean?
Medical cannabis is not a youth phenomenon. It’s a medical reality for people of all age groups – and the numbers are growing.
