Medical Cannabis Boom in Germany: 70,000 New Patients since April 1st

A month has passed since the entry into force of the CanG Act in Germany, which revolutionized the approach to the consumption and possession of medical cannabis, establishing it under new, although restrictive rules. While this step was greeted with enthusiasm as a breakthrough moment for cannabis reforms in Europe, it was not without disappointments.

The bill’s initial goals of establishing a commercial market for adult-use cannabis were rolled back during the legislative process. Nevertheless, deregulation has introduced new prospects for the medical and recreational cannabis market.

Changes in regulations and the impact on medical cannabis patients

A key aspect of the CanG bill is the removal of cannabis from the list of drugs. This change has significantly simplified the process of prescribing medical cannabis, making it comparable to prescribing other prescription drugs such as strong ibuprofens and antidepressants. Before the introduction of the Act, doctors had to deal with numerous bureaucratic obstacles at every stage of the supply chain, which has now been reduced to a minimum.

Currently, to gain access to medical cannabis, patients only need to attend a short initial consultation, after which they can receive a “certificate of purchase” allowing them to purchase cannabis from their local dispensary.

However, no one needs to go to their GP in person to get a cannabis prescription. On appropriate websites, cannabis patients can obtain a medical cannabis prescription with just a few clicks and without having to consult a doctor. When completing the online questionnaire, simply click on the topic about back pain or insomnia and your prescription will be emailed to you. This allows recipients to choose from approximately 400 types of cannabis flower from some specialized mail order pharmacies and even have their shipment delivered to their home by courier.

Telemedicine boom and cannabis availability

From April 1st, after the reclassification of cannabis, many companies began offering online consultations, which can last as little as 10 minutes, and prescribed medications are delivered to the patient’s home or to a selected pharmacy. Such changes have led to a sharp increase in the number of patients – according to Finn Age Hänsel, managing director of Sanity Group, there have been 70,000 new patients since the beginning of April.

Increased demand poses new challenges for pharmacies and pharmaceutical manufacturers. David Henn, CEO of Cannamedical Pharma, noted that companies like Algea Care served about 100,000 patients in the first two weeks of cannabis reclassification. The dynamic response of pharmaceutical wholesalers such as Krieger and Otto Geilenkirchen, who enable deliveries of products to pharmacies within a few hours, is a response to the growing demand.

The private prescription market and its future

The vast majority of new medical cannabis patients choose to cover the costs of treatment out of their own pocket, which proves the attractiveness of telemedicine offers compared to the traditional black market. Alex Khourdaji, senior analyst at Prohibition Partners, points out that the ease of access to medical cannabis in Germany is now similar to that seen in states such as California, where recreational users could legally obtain cannabis through the medical route.

The CanG law has clearly revolutionized the medical cannabis market in Germany, opening up new opportunities for patients and the market. Although the initial assumptions of the act were not fully implemented, its introduction significantly contributed to the reduction of bureaucratic barriers, which translates into an increase in the number of patients using medical cannabis. The development of the private prescription market shows that these changes may have long-term implications for both patients and the health sector as a whole.

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First published in FaktyKonopne. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the articles from the originals. In case of discrepancy, the originals will prevail.

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