Parts of Germany’s federal government are dissatisfied with the current interpretation of the Cannabis Act (CanG), which was introduced by the previous traffic light coalition and marked a major shift in cannabis policy.
Since its implementation, adults have been allowed to grow up to three cannabis plants at home, carry up to 25 grams in public, and consume it legally while respecting social distancing rules.
The law also made access to medical cannabis significantly easier: a prescription for controlled substances is no longer required, prior unsuccessful treatments don’t have to be documented, and telemedicine consultations are sufficient for adults to obtain medical cannabis.
Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) is particularly unhappy with this situation and has therefore developed a draft bill to amend the Cannabis Act. The new Federal Drug Commissioner, Prof. Dr. Hendrik Streeck (CDU), also shares this concern.
He argues that too many individuals can access cannabis too easily through legal channels like online pharmacies, pointing to growing import volumes as a sign that the law may be being exploited rather than strictly serving therapeutic purposes.
Economic and Medical Consequences
The proposed restrictions, particularly on telemedicine and mail-order access, could have significant economic and medical consequences.
Platforms and providers warn that these changes would harm both patients and businesses. Dr. Julian Wichmann, CEO of Bloomwell GmbH, criticised the draft reform as a medically unjustified step backwards. He argues that restricting telemedicine would endanger effective treatments.
A survey of 2,500 patients conducted by Bloomwell found that 40% of telemedicine users would return to the black market if access is curtailed. The remaining 60% would also lose legal access, leaving them without viable treatment options, a setback for public health and individual well-being.
MedOneCanStop (MCOS GmbH) surveyed 9,583 patients and found even stronger reactions. If telemedicine access were restricted, 92.6% of respondents feared they would have to return to illegal channels, and 59.2% said outright that the black market would be their only alternative.
Only 5.3% would be willing to visit a local doctor to continue receiving tested, quality-controlled cannabis. A further 23.8% would consider growing their own supply, though that too would lack medical oversight and quality assurance. Overall, 96.7% believed that access restrictions would boost black market activity, with 82.8% expecting a ‘massive’ increase.
By contrast, 84.7% of telemedicine users said legal, medically supervised access had significantly weakened the black market. According to Cedric Lehmann, founder and CEO of MedCanOneStop, the data clearly shows that ‘low-threshold access’ helps keep people within a safe and supervised system.
Notably, 75.6% of users would accept a mandatory annual video consultation, and 93.6% would be willing to pay for it, provided the cost is not prohibitive.
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Critics of the law have cited the increase in cannabis imports as evidence that many patients are obtaining cannabis not for medical needs, but for recreational use under the guise of treatment.
However, Cansativa, which works with 3,000 pharmacies, disputes this claim. In a position paper, the company argued that the rise in imports doesn’t equate to misuse.
Much of the imported product is not dispensed directly to patients; it may be reprocessed, re-exported, or destroyed due to quality issues. Germany is increasingly becoming a hub for the European medical cannabis trade, and import statistics do not accurately reflect domestic consumption or abuse.
Cansativa also notes that the current framework has allowed more people to access treatment, even when insurance does not cover the cost.
Industry representatives agree that while some telemedicine providers may cut corners by issuing prescriptions without proper consultations, the solution lies in oversight, not prohibition.
They advocate for targeted reforms that distinguish between irresponsible operators and legitimate medical care providers. Implementing binding quality standards for telemedicine could strengthen patient trust and improve safety. These standards would help ensure that patients, especially in rural or underserved areas, continue to have access to cannabis treatment.
Mail-order pharmacies have proven critical, as few brick-and-mortar pharmacies regularly stock medical cannabis. Strengthening digital ID checks, requiring video consultations, and fostering closer cooperation with local pharmacies are proposed as ways to prevent recreational misuse without compromising patient care.
For seriously ill patients—especially those with mobility challenges—eliminating telemedicine access would be more than an inconvenience. It would be a denial of care.
The post Patients, Companies, and Platforms Push Back Against Proposed Tightening of Germany’s Cannabis Act appeared first on Business of Cannabis.
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Since its implementation, adults have been allowed to grow up to three cannabis plants at home, carry up to 25 grams in public, and consume it legally while respecting social distancing rules.
The law also made access to medical cannabis significantly easier: a prescription for controlled substances is no longer required, prior unsuccessful treatments don’t have to be documented, and telemedicine consultations are sufficient for adults to obtain medical cannabis.
Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) is particularly unhappy with this situation and has therefore developed a draft bill to amend the Cannabis Act. The new Federal Drug Commissioner, Prof. Dr. Hendrik Streeck (CDU), also shares this concern.
He argues that too many individuals can access cannabis too easily through legal channels like online pharmacies, pointing to growing import volumes as a sign that the law may be being exploited rather than strictly serving therapeutic purposes.
Economic and Medical Consequences
The proposed restrictions, particularly on telemedicine and mail-order access, could have significant economic and medical consequences.
Platforms and providers warn that these changes would harm both patients and businesses. Dr. Julian Wichmann, CEO of Bloomwell GmbH, criticised the draft reform as a medically unjustified step backwards. He argues that restricting telemedicine would endanger effective treatments.
A survey of 2,500 patients conducted by Bloomwell found that 40% of telemedicine users would return to the black market if access is curtailed. The remaining 60% would also lose legal access, leaving them without viable treatment options, a setback for public health and individual well-being.
Survey Data Supports Concerns
MedOneCanStop (MCOS GmbH) surveyed 9,583 patients and found even stronger reactions. If telemedicine access were restricted, 92.6% of respondents feared they would have to return to illegal channels, and 59.2% said outright that the black market would be their only alternative.
Only 5.3% would be willing to visit a local doctor to continue receiving tested, quality-controlled cannabis. A further 23.8% would consider growing their own supply, though that too would lack medical oversight and quality assurance. Overall, 96.7% believed that access restrictions would boost black market activity, with 82.8% expecting a ‘massive’ increase.
By contrast, 84.7% of telemedicine users said legal, medically supervised access had significantly weakened the black market. According to Cedric Lehmann, founder and CEO of MedCanOneStop, the data clearly shows that ‘low-threshold access’ helps keep people within a safe and supervised system.
Notably, 75.6% of users would accept a mandatory annual video consultation, and 93.6% would be willing to pay for it, provided the cost is not prohibitive.
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Misinterpreting the Data
Critics of the law have cited the increase in cannabis imports as evidence that many patients are obtaining cannabis not for medical needs, but for recreational use under the guise of treatment.
However, Cansativa, which works with 3,000 pharmacies, disputes this claim. In a position paper, the company argued that the rise in imports doesn’t equate to misuse.
Much of the imported product is not dispensed directly to patients; it may be reprocessed, re-exported, or destroyed due to quality issues. Germany is increasingly becoming a hub for the European medical cannabis trade, and import statistics do not accurately reflect domestic consumption or abuse.
Cansativa also notes that the current framework has allowed more people to access treatment, even when insurance does not cover the cost.
Improve, Don’t Ban
Industry representatives agree that while some telemedicine providers may cut corners by issuing prescriptions without proper consultations, the solution lies in oversight, not prohibition.
They advocate for targeted reforms that distinguish between irresponsible operators and legitimate medical care providers. Implementing binding quality standards for telemedicine could strengthen patient trust and improve safety. These standards would help ensure that patients, especially in rural or underserved areas, continue to have access to cannabis treatment.
Mail-order pharmacies have proven critical, as few brick-and-mortar pharmacies regularly stock medical cannabis. Strengthening digital ID checks, requiring video consultations, and fostering closer cooperation with local pharmacies are proposed as ways to prevent recreational misuse without compromising patient care.
For seriously ill patients—especially those with mobility challenges—eliminating telemedicine access would be more than an inconvenience. It would be a denial of care.
The post Patients, Companies, and Platforms Push Back Against Proposed Tightening of Germany’s Cannabis Act appeared first on Business of Cannabis.
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