A 2025 drug affiliation study conducted by the Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG) indicates a growing trend of illegal drug consumption among young people in Germany. According to the findings reported by the magazine “Politico,” nearly 24 percent of young men aged between 18 and 25 have reported prior experience with illegal drugs. This figure marks an increase from 19.3 percent in 2023.
Among young women, the reported percentage is closer to 13 percent (compared to seven percent in 2023). Overall, the proportion across all surveyed groups stands at 18.7 percent, up from 13.5 percent in 2023. For the younger demographic of twelve to seventeen-year-olds, the figure is 2.5 percent, compared to 1.5 percent the previous year.
One particularly alarming trend is the rising consumption of cocaine. In 2015, only 1.2 percent of young people reported using cocaine; however, this percentage has more than tripled to 4.1 percent by 2025.
Johannes Nießen, Director of BIÖG, commented on the results, stating that “Most young people do not take illegal drugs-that is the good news.” However, he added a cautionary
The BIÖG has been publishing a biennial study on the drug affiliations of young people since 1973. For the current study, data was collected between April and July 2025, surveying a total of 7,001 individuals aged 12 to 25.
