The European medical cannabis market is expected to more than double in size over the next few years, seeing its value jump from €780m in 2024 to around €2.9bn by 2029, according to Prohibition Partners’ upcoming European Cannabis Report.
While this growth will be spread across the continent, Germany and the UK are projected to retain their respective positions as the first and second largest European medical cannabis markets.
As Business of Cannabis discussed last week, although these are both considered ‘free markets’ due to their low barriers of entry for businesses, they differ greatly in both size, regulation, and demographic.
With Germany recently making some foundational changes to its medical cannabis framework, helping expand access significantly and driving a surge in patient numbers, we spoke to leading UK-based clinic Releaf to understand what structural, cultural, and clinical lessons the UK can learn from Germany’s success.
The most impactful and meaningful change would, of course, be top-down, but policy change must go well beyond simply removing red tape, seeking to normalise and destigmatise medical cannabis through smart policymaking.
In April 2024, Germany’s Cannabis Act (CanG) officially came into force, with it seeing cannabis removed from the list of narcotics entirely, not just clearing barriers for prescribers, but clearly signalling an acceptance of cannabis’ medical applications.
Months later, in October, further changes came into force making massively streamlining prescription via the country’s ubiquitous statutory health insurance, meaning the path to having treatment reimbursed became far easier for patients, further cementing the recognition of cannabis as a medicine.
According to Releaf’s CEO, Tim Kirby, legitimising medical cannabis is an essential lesson for the UK.
“The biggest lesson the UK can take from Germany is how patients benefit when medical cannabis is treated as a legitimate part of mainstream healthcare,” he explained.
“By embedding cannabis into its health system early, with proper access, insurance coverage and strong clinical governance, Germany gave patients more reliable, stigma-free treatment options.
“At Releaf, we believe patients in the UK deserve the same: safe, regulated access backed by evidence-based prescribing and high clinical standards. This is how we normalise cannabis treatment for those who could genuinely benefit.”
Tim Kirby, CEO, Releaf
Working to alleviate the stigma would remove one of the key issues preventing more patients from exploring cannabis treatment, but bottlenecks remain due to the shortage of prescribing medical professionals in the UK.
In October’s overhaul of the prescription process, Germany also gave around 70% of German practising physicians the power to prescribe reimbursed medical cannabis without prior approval.
Kirby continued: “The most impactful action policymakers could take is to simplify and standardise how medical cannabis is prescribed, for the benefit of patients.
“Right now, too many people face delays or are denied access because the process is unclear or overly complex. If we had a national prescribing framework, underpinned by training and support, more clinicians would feel confident recommending cannabis where appropriate.
“We see every day how patients can thrive when the care pathway is clear and accessible. That’s what policy should be enabling.”
Expanding the ability to prescribe is one thing, but ensuring clinicians understand how and why medical cannabis can be an effective treatment is critical.
Even in the early stages of its medical cannabis scheme, Germany invested heavily in formal training and prescriber support, something that is woefully lacking in the UK’s medical industry.
“Clinician education is essential if we’re serious about meeting patient needs,” Kirby asserted.
“Even the most empathetic prescribers may hesitate without the right training, which risks leaving patients without access to a potentially life-changing therapy.
“That’s why Releaf invests heavily in clinical education and ongoing professional development, because informed, confident clinicians make better decisions for their patients. Closing the education gap is key to unlocking better outcomes and more consistent care.”
Another key part of encouraging doctors to consider prescribing is trust, both in the treatment itself and in the wider industry as a whole.
Given the lingering stigma surrounding cannabis, the reality is the industry must work twice as hard to demonstrate its professionalism and legitimacy.
Speaking passionately on the subject, Kirby suggests this is something the industry must work towards in unity.
“Trust is earned by consistently doing the right thing for patients. That means showing, through our care, our clinical standards, and our governance, that medical cannabis is safe, science-led, and genuinely helps people.
“At Releaf, we’re transparent about how we treat patients, we prioritise safety and rights, and we work closely with regulators to maintain public confidence. To build wider trust, the whole sector needs to open up: collaborate more, communicate better, and focus relentlessly on what’s best for patients.”
As such, Releaf hopes to be a standard bearer for the UK, aiming to prove that the medical cannabis industry can lead in patient experience, transparency, governance and safety.
“These areas directly affect the quality of care people receive. As a CQC-regulated provider with uninterrupted supply and proprietary HealthTech, we’re proving that high-quality, patient-first care isn’t just aspirational, it’s available today.
“By raising standards now, we aim to improve patients’ lives and help shape a healthcare system that includes medical cannabis as a trusted, mainstream option.”
The post What Can the UK Learn From Germany’s Booming Medical Cannabis Market? appeared first on Business of Cannabis.
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While this growth will be spread across the continent, Germany and the UK are projected to retain their respective positions as the first and second largest European medical cannabis markets.
As Business of Cannabis discussed last week, although these are both considered ‘free markets’ due to their low barriers of entry for businesses, they differ greatly in both size, regulation, and demographic.
With Germany recently making some foundational changes to its medical cannabis framework, helping expand access significantly and driving a surge in patient numbers, we spoke to leading UK-based clinic Releaf to understand what structural, cultural, and clinical lessons the UK can learn from Germany’s success.
Ambitious policy
The most impactful and meaningful change would, of course, be top-down, but policy change must go well beyond simply removing red tape, seeking to normalise and destigmatise medical cannabis through smart policymaking.
In April 2024, Germany’s Cannabis Act (CanG) officially came into force, with it seeing cannabis removed from the list of narcotics entirely, not just clearing barriers for prescribers, but clearly signalling an acceptance of cannabis’ medical applications.
Months later, in October, further changes came into force making massively streamlining prescription via the country’s ubiquitous statutory health insurance, meaning the path to having treatment reimbursed became far easier for patients, further cementing the recognition of cannabis as a medicine.
According to Releaf’s CEO, Tim Kirby, legitimising medical cannabis is an essential lesson for the UK.
“The biggest lesson the UK can take from Germany is how patients benefit when medical cannabis is treated as a legitimate part of mainstream healthcare,” he explained.
“By embedding cannabis into its health system early, with proper access, insurance coverage and strong clinical governance, Germany gave patients more reliable, stigma-free treatment options.
“At Releaf, we believe patients in the UK deserve the same: safe, regulated access backed by evidence-based prescribing and high clinical standards. This is how we normalise cannabis treatment for those who could genuinely benefit.”
Tim Kirby, CEO, Releaf
Working to alleviate the stigma would remove one of the key issues preventing more patients from exploring cannabis treatment, but bottlenecks remain due to the shortage of prescribing medical professionals in the UK.
In October’s overhaul of the prescription process, Germany also gave around 70% of German practising physicians the power to prescribe reimbursed medical cannabis without prior approval.
Kirby continued: “The most impactful action policymakers could take is to simplify and standardise how medical cannabis is prescribed, for the benefit of patients.
“Right now, too many people face delays or are denied access because the process is unclear or overly complex. If we had a national prescribing framework, underpinned by training and support, more clinicians would feel confident recommending cannabis where appropriate.
“We see every day how patients can thrive when the care pathway is clear and accessible. That’s what policy should be enabling.”
Education
Expanding the ability to prescribe is one thing, but ensuring clinicians understand how and why medical cannabis can be an effective treatment is critical.
Even in the early stages of its medical cannabis scheme, Germany invested heavily in formal training and prescriber support, something that is woefully lacking in the UK’s medical industry.
“Clinician education is essential if we’re serious about meeting patient needs,” Kirby asserted.
“Even the most empathetic prescribers may hesitate without the right training, which risks leaving patients without access to a potentially life-changing therapy.
“That’s why Releaf invests heavily in clinical education and ongoing professional development, because informed, confident clinicians make better decisions for their patients. Closing the education gap is key to unlocking better outcomes and more consistent care.”
Another key part of encouraging doctors to consider prescribing is trust, both in the treatment itself and in the wider industry as a whole.
Given the lingering stigma surrounding cannabis, the reality is the industry must work twice as hard to demonstrate its professionalism and legitimacy.
Speaking passionately on the subject, Kirby suggests this is something the industry must work towards in unity.
“Trust is earned by consistently doing the right thing for patients. That means showing, through our care, our clinical standards, and our governance, that medical cannabis is safe, science-led, and genuinely helps people.
“At Releaf, we’re transparent about how we treat patients, we prioritise safety and rights, and we work closely with regulators to maintain public confidence. To build wider trust, the whole sector needs to open up: collaborate more, communicate better, and focus relentlessly on what’s best for patients.”
As such, Releaf hopes to be a standard bearer for the UK, aiming to prove that the medical cannabis industry can lead in patient experience, transparency, governance and safety.
“These areas directly affect the quality of care people receive. As a CQC-regulated provider with uninterrupted supply and proprietary HealthTech, we’re proving that high-quality, patient-first care isn’t just aspirational, it’s available today.
“By raising standards now, we aim to improve patients’ lives and help shape a healthcare system that includes medical cannabis as a trusted, mainstream option.”
The post What Can the UK Learn From Germany’s Booming Medical Cannabis Market? appeared first on Business of Cannabis.
Continue reading...
