Cannabis in Luxembourg: almost 50 per cent have tried it, but home plantations are rare

A new study by the Luxembourg Ministry of Health confirms: cannabis use has become part of everyday reality for a large part of the population. The survey, conducted in the autumn of 2023 - a few months after the law legalising home consumption and cultivation of up to four plants came into force - recorded important shifts.

According to the results, 46.3 per cent of residents aged 18 to 64 have used non-medical cannabis at least once in their lives. In the past 12 months, 14.2% and in the past 30 days, 7.8%. Thus, cannabis remains the most common illegal drug, despite partial legalisation.

Interestingly, after the law came into force, 15.9% of new users tried cannabis for the first time, but only less than 5% of respondents admitted to using it more often. In other words, fears of a "consumption explosion" were not confirmed.

As for home cultivation of legally authorised cannabis, the practice remains more of an exception. Only 11.5 per cent of consumers reported growing the plant themselves, despite the official authorisation of four plants at home.

These data show an interesting balance: legalisation has opened access but has not caused a dramatic increase in consumption; on the contrary, there has been a moderation in attitudes towards cannabis as a social phenomenon. The Ministry of Health will continue to monitor trends in order to adjust prevention policies and support informed consumption.