New Restrictions Threaten Germany’s Growing Medical Cannabis Market

Proposed Changes Could Undermine Patient Access, Public Safety, and Industry Growth

Germany’s medical cannabis market has seen explosive growth since the passage of the Cannabis Act (CanG) in April 2024, which reclassified cannabis as a non-narcotic and removed burdensome administrative hurdles. But just over a year later, that progress may be at risk.

In July 2025, the German Health Ministry released a draft amendment that could roll back access to medical cannabis by requiring annual in-person consultations for prescriptions and prohibiting mail-order delivery of cannabis products. These changes, though not yet finalized, have sparked concern among patients, physicians, and industry leaders.

Germany’s Medical Cannabis Market Is Thriving Post-CanG Reform

The CanG reform marked a pivotal moment for Germany’s cannabis industry. By reclassifying medical cannabis and streamlining access, the legislation opened the door to widespread patient participation in the legal market.

Prior to CanG, Germany had an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 patients. As of mid-2025, just over a year since the law took effect, new data from Whitney Economics shows that number has grown by an additional 500,000 to 600,000 patients—an unprecedented expansion. This momentum could bring Germany’s total patient count to 1 million in the near future, making it one of the largest medical cannabis markets in the world.

Supporting this boom is a significant rise in import volume. In Q1 2025 alone, Germany imported over 37.2 metric tonnes of medical cannabis products—an increase of 14.8% compared to Q4 2024 and a staggering 457% increase compared to Q1 of the previous year.

Health Ministry Proposal Could Reverse Hard-Earned Progress

Despite this clear demand and market stability, the new draft amendment could dramatically alter how patients access treatment. The proposed changes would:

• Require patients to have an in-person consultation at least once annually to receive or renew a prescription.
  
• Eliminate the ability to receive prescriptions or cannabis products through mail-order services, mandating pharmacy pick-up only.
  

These policies would significantly affect patients with limited mobility, those in rural areas, and individuals who rely on digital access for continuity of care.

Report Warns of a Return to the Illicit Market

A report from Bloomwell Group, titled The Cannabis Barometer–Potential Consequences of Restricted Telemedicine Access, highlights how these policy changes could push thousands of patients back into the illicit market.

The report, which surveyed 2,500 patients, found that 41.7% would consider returning to unlicensed sources if digital access to cannabis care were restricted. This suggests that access via digital consultations and mail-order pharmacies has been a key factor in moving patients into the legal, regulated system.

Additional findings include:

• 79% of current patients previously relied on unlicensed sources.
  
• 83% believe cannabis from pharmacies is higher quality than illicit products.
  
• 47.5% say pharmacy-sourced cannabis is less expensive than street products.
  
• Only 7% said they would consider joining cannabis clubs—an option being expanded for recreational users but not designed for medical care.
  

These statistics point to the essential role of digital health access in achieving harm reduction and public health goals.

The Public Health Benefits of Telemedicine in Cannabis Care

One of the key successes of CanG has been expanding digital access to prescribing physicians and regulated cannabis treatments. This has had a direct positive impact on patient health outcomes and public safety by shifting users away from unregulated, potentially dangerous products.

Removing mail delivery and requiring in-person consultations ignores these benefits and risks reversing one of the most important advances in the country’s healthcare delivery system.

Additionally, Germany’s limited number of medical professionals with cannabis expertise further compounds the issue. Patients, especially in remote or underserved areas, could find it impossible to comply with the new regulations—creating unnecessary barriers to care.

Vulnerable Populations at Risk of Losing Access

Patients suffering from chronic conditions, pain, and mobility limitations such as cancer survivors, the elderly, or the immunocompromised are among those most impacted by the proposed changes.

Traveling to a physician’s office annually or physically retrieving prescriptions from pharmacies can be burdensome, expensive, or outright impossible for some individuals. Rural communities would be disproportionately affected, given the concentration of cannabis-trained doctors in urban centers.

For these populations, digital consultations and delivery services are not conveniences—they are lifelines.

Economic Repercussions Loom if Access Is Curtailed

Restricting access also poses serious risks to Germany’s growing cannabis economy.

With cannabis prescriptions surging—up over 1,100% on Bloomwell’s digital platform since March 2024 the sector is creating jobs, drawing investments, and generating tax revenue. Rolling back access could stall or even reverse this growth.

Moreover, as 41.7% of patients surveyed said they would return to unlicensed sources if digital access were eliminated, a significant portion of current legal sales could shift back to the untaxed, unregulated black market undermining both public safety and economic development.

Why These Changes May Still Be Preventable

The draft amendment is not law yet. It is currently subject to debate, revisions, and pressure from both industry stakeholders and patient advocacy groups.

Critics argue that the policy push—led by Federal Health Minister Nina Warken may be based on misinterpreting the implications of rising cannabis imports as a sign of abuse, rather than reflecting a fast-growing but legitimate patient base.

Patient numbers, treatment compliance, and reduced illicit use all indicate that the current model is working. Replacing it with more restrictive requirements would not only inconvenience patients but could have cascading consequences for the nation’s healthcare and public policy priorities.

Germany Must Keep Progress on Track

Germany stands at a crossroads. The success of the CanG reforms has created an opportunity to lead Europe in medical cannabis regulation, patient access, and responsible industry growth. Any policy change must be grounded in patient care, data, and public health not outdated fears or political optics.

Rather than restricting access, Germany should continue building a secure, efficient, and patient-centered cannabis healthcare system.

The future of Germany’s medical cannabis industry and the health of hundreds of thousands of patients may depend on it.