Glossary

On our pages, you can recognise explained terms by their dotted underline. Click on one to see the explanation without leaving the page.

Laws and their sections are collected under Laws at a glance.

A

Addiction counselling

Counselling services for anyone with questions or worries about alcohol, drugs, medication or gambling, including family members. Counselling is free of charge, confidential and anonymous if you wish. You don’t have to want to stop.

Administrative offence

A breach that an authority punishes with a fine. Unlike a criminal offence, an administrative offence does not lead to a criminal record.

Anticoagulants

Medicines that thin the blood to prevent clots, for example for atrial fibrillation or after a thrombosis. Cannabis can change how the body breaks them down and so increase the risk of bleeding.

B

Bad trip

A high that tips over into fear, panic and confusion, often with a racing heart or nausea. It usually passes. If the person is unconscious, not breathing normally, having a seizure or chest pain, call 112 immediately.

Batch

A quantity of cannabis that is produced, tested and documented together, for example the harvest of one variety. Laboratory values always apply to the whole batch.

BIÖG · Federal Institute for Public Health

The federal authority for health education, which emerged in 2025 from the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA). Among other things, it runs drugcom.de and Quit the Shit, a programme for quitting.

Blood serum

The liquid part of the blood without blood cells. The THC limit at the wheel of 3.5 ng/ml refers to it.

BMG · Federal Ministry of Health

The Federal Ministry of Health (Bundesministerium für Gesundheit), part of the German federal government. It commissions the independent evaluation of the Consumer Cannabis Act (§ 43 KCanG) and answers frequently asked questions about the Cannabis Act on its website.

Bubble hash

Hashish made by separating the trichomes with ice water and sieve bags and then drying them. No solvents are used.

C

Cannabinoids

Substances in the cannabis plant that can bind to receptors of the body’s own endocannabinoid system. The best known are THC, which is intoxicating, and CBD, which is not.

Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome

Recurring episodes of severe nausea, persistent vomiting and abdominal pain after long-term, frequent use. Typically, hot showers or baths bring relief. The only lasting help is to stop using.

Cannanas

The software we use to manage membership and distribution. As a member, you use it as an app, for example for your account or to cancel your membership. Every time cannabis is handed out, it also checks the legal maximum amounts, including the stricter limits for members under 21. More about CannanasDE

CBD · Cannabidiol

A compound in the cannabis plant that is not intoxicating. Our lab results give the total content of CBD and converted CBDA.

CBDA · Cannabidiolic acid

The acid form of CBD in the fresh plant. When heated, it turns into CBD; it is converted using the factor 0.877, as with THC.

CBG · Cannabigerol

An active compound of the cannabis plant that is not intoxicating. Its acid form CBGA is the precursor from which the plant forms THCA and CBDA.

Coffee shop

Shops tolerated in the Netherlands where adults can buy small amounts of cannabis. There are no coffee shops in Germany; selling cannabis remains prohibited.

Combined use

Using several substances at the same time or shortly after one another, for example cannabis and alcohol. The effects can reinforce each other and become hard to predict.

Craving

The technical term for a strong, urgent desire for the substance. It is one of the signs of dependence and often occurs during breaks from use.

CUDIT-R

The Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test in its revised version from 2010: an internationally used short test with eight questions. It shows whether use might be risky but does not replace a diagnosis. Our self-test uses its questions.

Cultivation association

A registered non-commercial association or a registered cooperative in which adult members grow cannabis together for their own use and pass it on among themselves. This requires a licence from the authorities. Selling, profit-seeking and advertising are ruled out, and minors are not allowed on the premises.

Cutting

A shoot cut from a mother plant that forms roots and grows into a new plant. Together with seeds, the law calls this propagating material.

D

Dependence · cannabis use disorder

When use can no longer be controlled: strong craving, loss of control over amount and timing, continued use despite harm, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms. Experts speak of a cannabis use disorder, which is mild, moderate or severe depending on how many criteria are met.

DHS · German Centre for Addiction Issues

The umbrella organisation for addiction and drug support services in Germany, a non-profit association based in Hamm. It publishes figures, information material and a directory of counselling services.

DigiSucht

The nationwide online platform for addiction counselling. There you can write or chat with professionals from counselling services, including ones in your region, free of charge and anonymously if you wish.

drugcom.de

The information and counselling portal of the Federal Institute for Public Health on alcohol, cannabis and other drugs. It offers knowledge, self-tests and counselling by chat and email, free of charge and anonymous.

Dry sift

Hashish made by separating the resin-rich glands of the plant, the trichomes, from dried flowers through fine sieves, dry, without water or solvents.

DSM-5

The diagnostic manual of the American Psychiatric Association, fifth edition. It describes mental disorders using fixed criteria, including cannabis use disorder.

Duty of confidentiality

Doctors and professionals in counselling services may not pass on what you tell them in confidence, not even to parents, employers or the police. There are exceptions only within narrow limits, for example if there is an acute danger to life and limb.

E

Early intervention

Services for young people who have come to attention because of cannabis, before problems become entrenched, for example short programmes such as FreD. If minors break the KCanG, the youth welfare office can work towards them taking part in such a programme (§ 7 KCanG).

Edibles

Food containing THC, such as biscuits, gummies or chocolate. The effect is delayed and hard to predict, and edibles are particularly dangerous for children. Edibles are banned in Germany.

EKOCAN · Evaluation of the Consumer Cannabis Act

A research consortium from Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Tübingen that examines, on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health, how the Consumer Cannabis Act affects child and youth protection, health protection and cannabis-related crime. Among other things, it draws on surveys and data from cultivation associations. The comprehensive report is due by 1 April 2028 (§ 43 KCanG).

F

FreD · Early intervention for drug users noticed for the first time

A short programme run by addiction support services for young people who have come to attention for drug use for the first time: one individual conversation and a group course over a few sessions. It provides information and encourages them to rethink their own use.

H

Hashish

The separated resin of the cannabis plant, usually pressed into slabs or lumps.

Health and youth protection plan

Every cultivation association must set out in writing how it protects children and young people, promotes risk-reduced use and carries out addiction prevention. The plan is part of the licence application. The prevention officers make sure it is put into practice.

Heavy metals

Metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury that a plant can absorb from soil, water or fertiliser.

HHC · Hexahydrocannabinol

A semi-synthetic substance, usually made chemically from CBD, that is intoxicating in a similar way to THC. HHC has been banned in Germany since June 2024. The content and contamination of such products cannot be assessed.

Home growing

Growing cannabis for your own use, without trade and without profit. Privately, up to three plants at home are allowed; growing together is only possible in a cultivation association.

I

ICD-11

The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases, eleventh revision. It is used to code diagnoses in a uniform way, for example harmful cannabis use or dependence.

Indica and sativa

Trade names for cannabis varieties that supposedly calm (indica) or energise (sativa). An analysis of almost 90,000 samples found that the labels do not reliably match the chemical composition.

J

Joint

A hand-rolled cigarette containing cannabis, usually mixed with tobacco. Smoking it this way risks dependence on both substances, and the smoke harms the airways, heart and circulation.

K

KCanG · Consumer Cannabis Act

The federal law that sets out what adults may do with cannabis and what remains prohibited. It has been in force since 1 April 2024: since then, possession of small amounts and private home growing have been permitted from 18, and cultivation associations since 1 July 2024. Selling and advertising remain prohibited.

L

LWL · Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe

A local authority association of the cities and districts in Westphalia-Lippe. Among other things, it runs psychiatric hospitals, including LWL-Klinik Dortmund with an addiction medicine outpatient clinic.

M

MAGS NRW · Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs

The state ministry in North Rhine-Westphalia that is responsible, among other things, for health. Its website has the state’s catalogue of fines for the Consumer Cannabis Act and questions and answers about cultivation associations. Licensing and supervision of cultivation associations lie with the district governments; for Dortmund, this is the Arnsberg District Government.

Marijuana

The dried flowers and the leaves close to the flowers of the cannabis plant, known colloquially as weed.

Medical cannabis

Cannabis for medical purposes, prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by pharmacies. It is regulated in the Medical Cannabis Act, not in the KCanG.

Microbiology

Testing for microbes, that is bacteria, yeasts and moulds.

MPU · Medical-psychological assessment

An assessment of fitness to drive by experts in medicine and psychology. The driving licence authority orders it if there are doubts about whether someone can drive safely, for example after repeated offences under the influence of cannabis.

Mycotoxins

Toxic substances that moulds can produce, such as aflatoxins.

N

ng/ml · Nanograms per millilitre

A nanogram is a billionth of a gram. The THC limit at the wheel is 3.5 ng/ml in blood serum, the liquid part of the blood without blood cells.

No-consumption zone

A place where using cannabis in public is banned: at schools, playgrounds, children’s and youth facilities, sports facilities and cultivation associations, in each case also within sight of them, and in pedestrian zones between 7 am and 8 pm (§ 5 KCanG). Map of the no-consumption zones in Dortmund

O

Official photo ID

An official identity document with a photo, such as an identity card or a passport.

Own use

Consumption by you yourself. What you possess or receive for your own use, you may not pass on, give away or sell to others.

P

Passing on

The KCanG’s term for any handing over of cannabis to others. It is only permitted within cultivation associations, to their own members, in limited amounts and not as a sale for profit. Cannabis that you possess or grow yourself may not be passed on.

Pooled sample

Material from several harvests is tested together. The result applies to all the harvests included.

Prevention officer

Every cultivation association must appoint one of its members as prevention officer. This person is the contact for questions about addiction prevention, makes sure the health and youth protection plan is put into practice and must show proof of training, for example from a state or specialist centre for addiction prevention or addiction counselling.

Private prescription

A prescription whose costs you pay yourself because health insurance does not cover them. Health insurers have not paid for cannabis flowers since 30 July 2026, but doctors can still prescribe them on a private prescription.

Probationary period

The first two years after getting your first driving licence. For serious offences, a remedial course is added and the probationary period is extended to four years.

Propagating material

Seeds and cuttings of cannabis plants. This is the KCanG’s collective term for both (§ 1 no. 7 KCanG).

Psychosis

A state in which the perception of reality is disturbed, for example by delusions, hallucinations or intense suspicion. Cannabis can increase the risk, especially with an early start, frequent use and a family predisposition. If there are signs, get medical help.

Q

Quarterly survey

Before each quarter, we ask in the members’ portal how much you would like to order for each of the next three months. The order is binding because our cultivation is based on it. For a break, enter less or nothing in the next survey.

Quit the Shit

A free, anonymous online programme from the Federal Institute for Public Health. For four weeks, you keep a use diary and get personal feedback if you want to cut down or stop completely.

R

Random sample

A sample taken from a harvest and tested as representative of the whole harvest. Cultivation associations must regularly take samples and have them tested.

Recovery position

A first aid position for people who are unconscious but breathing normally: on their side, with the head tilted slightly back so the airways stay clear and vomit can drain. Keep checking their breathing until the ambulance arrives.

Resin

The sticky secretion of the trichomes, which contains most of the active compounds of the cannabis plant. Under the law, separated resin is hashish (§ 1 no. 5 KCanG).

Reward system

A network in the brain that reinforces pleasant experiences through the messenger substance dopamine, so that we repeat them. Addictive substances interfere here. This is one reason why a habit can turn into dependence.

Rosin

Resin pressed from flowers or hashish using heat and pressure, without solvents. How rosin is to be classified legally is still open.

S

Safer use

Rules that reduce the risks when someone uses cannabis, for example using little and rarely, not mixing, taking breaks and not driving afterwards. Safer use is not an invitation to use cannabis.

SimpleX Chat

A free messenger for smartphones and computers that works without a phone number, email address or user account. Messages are end-to-end encrypted, and not even the servers know who is writing to whom. That is why we use it for anonymous questions.

Smoking weed · kiffen

German slang for smoking cannabis, often used for using cannabis in general.

Social psychiatric service

A service of the public health department that advises people in mental health crises and their family members free of charge and refers them on, with home visits if needed.

Synthetic cannabinoids

Substances made in a laboratory that bind to the same sites in the brain as THC and often act much more strongly. They are sprayed onto plant material and cannot be seen with the naked eye. There have been severe poisonings and deaths.

T

THC · Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol

The main psychoactive compound in cannabis. Percentages refer to the weight of the sample: 20% means 200 milligrams per gram.

THCA · Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid

The form in which THC is mostly present in the fresh plant. THCA is not psychoactive. Only when heated does it release carbon dioxide and turn into THC (decarboxylation).

Tolerance

The body getting used to a substance: people who use regularly need more over time for the same effect. A break lowers tolerance again.

Total THC

THC plus THCA multiplied by 0.877. The factor accounts for THCA being heavier than THC: during conversion, the acid group is lost as carbon dioxide. This makes samples comparable, however much THCA has already been converted to THC.

Trichomes

Tiny glandular hairs, mainly on the flowers of the cannabis plant. Their resin contains most of the cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD.

V

Vaporising · vaporiser

A device, the vaporiser, heats cannabis until the active compounds evaporate without burning it. This puts less strain on the airways than smoking. The other risks of use remain.

W

Withdrawal symptoms

Symptoms when someone stops after a long period of regular use: for example irritability, restlessness, sleep problems, less appetite and strong cravings. They usually begin one to three days after last use and are strongest in the first week. Most subside after two to three weeks, although sleep and mood can take longer to recover.

Within sight

The KCanG prohibits public consumption in schools, on playgrounds, in children’s and youth facilities, sports facilities and cultivation associations and also within sight of them. According to the law, a place is no longer within sight at a distance of more than 100 metres from the entrance area. Closer than that, the ban applies if the place can be seen.