Germany Tightens Medical Cannabis Rules, Bans Online Prescriptions and Mail Deliveries

The German government has approved an amendment to the Medical Cannabis Act (MedCanG), which had already been mooted in recent days. The amendment ends the possibility of exclusively online prescriptions and prohibits the mailing of cannabis-based medicines in Germany.

Germany and medical cannabis: the new rules

Prescriptions only in person or with a home visit: the issue can only take place following a direct evaluation of the patient, in the doctor’s office or at home.

Mandatory periodic check-ups: Subsequent prescriptions may include the use of telemedicine, but only if the patient meets with the doctor in person at least once a year.

Postal shipping ban for inflorescences: Pharmacies in Germany will no longer be able to send cannabis by mail; delivery must take place over the counter or through a local distribution service.

Official rationale: The government in Germany justifies the crackdown by the need to prevent abuse and maintain stricter clinical supervision, in light of the rapidly growing online market.

The reasons behind the change of direction

The German Ministry of Health justified the reform by stating that the current model encourages “a worrying decline” due to the rapid spread of online platforms that issue automatic or simplified prescriptions without proper medical contact.

With imports significantly increasing, the government aims to reintroduce stricter limits. In the first half of 2025, German imports of medical cannabis increased by over 400% compared to the same period the previous year. Paradoxically, prescriptions authorized through health insurance increased only marginally, suggesting that a significant portion of requests come from patients purchasing privately.

Impacts and reactions

The government’s decision has sparked a lively debate among doctors, patients, and healthcare professionals. On the one hand, some fear that the new rules could create significant obstacles for the most vulnerable patients in Germany: people with serious chronic conditions, limited mobility, or living in rural areas risk facing difficulties in ensuring at least periodic in-person contact. For them, telemedicine represented a practical solution and, in some cases, the only viable option for accessing ongoing treatment.

Digital platforms and telemedicine companies in Germany, which had invested in developing online services in line with the previous regulations, are also expressing concern . These organizations openly speak of a “step backward” that risks stifling innovation and penalizing both patients and providers who had adapted to the new scenario.

Legal questions also remain: several observers point out that the reform could conflict with certain principles of European law, particularly the freedom to provide services and the principle of proportionality. According to this interpretation, the restrictions in Germany risk going beyond what is strictly necessary to ensure adequate control.

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(Featured image by Dima Kuznetsov via Unsplash)

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First published in Cannabis Terapeutica. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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