Health Reforms for Medical Cannabis in Germany
The start of legalization in Germany has naturally changed the dynamics of cannabis consumption. As the biggest European cannabis market sees over a hundred percent increase of cannabis flower imports, where does that leave medical use?
Until now it has been relatively easy to obtain medical cannabis in Germany. A prescription for medical cannabis has been possible to acquire online via mail after completing a video consultation with a doctor, or through telemedicine platforms. German health authorities want to change this and to have more control over how cannabis is dispensed to medical users.
Cannabis Prescriptions in Germany to Be Given Only After a Doctor Consultation
The Health Ministry is planning a new set of measures for dispensing cannabis for therapeutic reasons. The health reform means that it will no longer be possible to get cannabis prescriptions online in Germany. Prescriptions for dry cannabis flower products will only be given to patients after they pass a doctor’s appointment, either at a clinic or during a home visit, according to a new draft bill.
The changes are being introduced under Germany’s new Health Minister, Nina Warken, who already emphasized at the start of her term in office that she wants stricter control over medicinal cannabis. Her main argument has been the rapidly growing rates of cannabis use in the country.
Cannabis Flower Imports Increased by 170 Percent in First Year of Legalization
The draft bill reportedly underlines that since the Cannabis Act was enforced in April 2024, imports of flower for medicinal purposes have increased beyond expectations. It’s a 170 percent increase from the first half of 2024 to the second half of 2024, while for the same period medical cannabis prescriptions covered by statutory health insurance only climbed nine percent. The reasons for this, the Health Ministry believes, is that there is a sharp increase in private prescriptions (not overseen by the state) as well as cannabis product purchases through online shops.
Court Case Against Online Provider of Cannabis Prescriptions
The war on telemedicine platforms in Germany has also been waged in court. The Munich District Court recently ruled in favor of stopping online cannabis prescriptions, in a case concerning the Munich-based Goeasy platform. The platform has allowed users to acquire cannabis prescriptions after filling in a questionnaire that inquires about prior medical conditions, disclosing pregnancy status, and which lists conditions for which users can seek treatments, The Munich Eye reported.
Health authorities in Germany consider remote consultations of this type as being unprofessional, and the court has followed suit. The court ruling said that prescribing a ‘potentially addictive substance’ to unknown individuals over the internet is intolerable. It is a clear signal that German officials want to have more oversight of what happens with medical cannabis from now on.
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Stephen Andrews
