At least 24 million Europeans used cannabis in 2024

Cannabis remains the most widely consumed illicit substance in Europe, with 24 million adults, or 8,4% of the population aged 15 to 64 who report having consumed in the past year, by type of consumption European Drug Report 2025 published by’European Union Drug Agency (EUDA).

Published June 5, this report provides a comprehensive overview of current drug trends in EU member states, Norway and Turkey, based on data from national surveys and law enforcement sources.

France, Spain and Italy top the ranking for lifetime consumption

The report highlights the significant disparities in consumption across the continent.

The France records highest cannabis consumption in adults aged 15 to 65 years, with 50,4 % of them claiming to have used it at least once. Spain follows with 43,7 %, then Italy with 34,8 %.

The European average for lifetime consumption is 8.4%, showing huge disparities in cultural approaches to cannabis across Europe.

Although cannabis is illegal in most European countries, 4.6 million people said they consumed daily. Over 90% of consumers indicated that their consumption took place at home, and 80% reported using it in the form of a joint, whether weed or resin.

Consumption among young people is falling, but early initiation persists

While consumption among adults remains stable or on the rise, the situation seems to be changing among young people. Since 2003, the percentage of 15- to 16-year-olds reporting cannabis use in the previous month has risen from 9.7 % to 5,7 %, and lifetime consumption in this age group fell from 21% to 13%.

Early initiation persists. 2,6 % of students surveyed said they had tried cannabis before the age of 13, This suggests that while overall consumption among young people is declining, prevention efforts remain difficult when it comes to early exposure.

Power and traffic

The report draws attention to a persistent trend: the’increased potency of cannabis resin.

«Indexed trends show that average THC content in resin almost doubled between 2013 and 2023, This trend is partly attributable to changes in production techniques and consumer preferences. This evolution is attributed in part to changes in production techniques and consumer preferences.

At the same time as increasing power, the cannabis seizures also reached record levels. In 2023, EU member states reported 259,000 resin seizures totalling 551 tonnes and 219,000 cannabis herb seizures totalling 201 tonnes.

Spain, in particular, has seen a sharp increase in weed seizures since 2019, suggesting changes in trafficking flows and production centers, according to the report.

According to the EUDA, trafficking methods are diversifying, with cannabis now arriving by airliner in addition to the traditional container and truck routes.

«Since 2019, the volume of cannabis seized has increased considerably in Spain,» the report notes, suggesting growing links between Europe and legal markets in Canada, the USA and Thailand.

Health concerns related to cannabis concentrates and substitutes

The rise of concentrates such as the rosin and the shatter, The proliferation of semi-synthetic cannabinoids such as the HHC, HHC-P and THCP, is causing growing concern among healthcare professionals.

The latter are often sold in legal grey areas, marketed as alternatives to cannabis, but not subject to the same regulatory control.

«Although knowledge about the effects of HHC in humans are limited, concerns have been raised as studies have been published, including some reports of links with psychosis,» notes the report.

In the Czech Republic, the Toxicological Information Centre recorded more than 170 HHC-related consultations between June 2022 and February 2024, of which many involved young people having consumed edible products such as gummies.

An incomplete picture of consumption and harmful effects

The authors warn that their figures could underestimate actual consumption levels, in view of the illegal status in many EU countries. Social stigma and legal risks can deter consumers from revealing their consumption habits in national surveys.

While debates on the cannabis legalization are intensifying in Europe, the data paint a complex picture: high and persistent consumption, changing production and trafficking patterns, and emerging public health risks associated with new cannabinoid-based products. One thing remains constant: banning cannabis does nothing to reduce consumption, and generates dangerous negative externalities for consumers and societies alike.