Germany Overview
Germany is the largest medical cannabis market in Europe, with over 250,000 patients and €400M in sales in 2024. At current growth rates, sales could surpass €1B by 2028, driven by regulatory changes improving patient access.
Medical cannabis imports surged after MedCanG, expected to exceed 40 tonnes from 17+ countries in 2024. Easier prescriptions and telehealth access have increased private patients. Growing competition has expanded product variety (1,000+ options) and halved prices to €10 per gram since 2021.
Germany’s framework has positioned it as Europe’s medical cannabis hub, benefiting companies and patients alike. As research and acceptance grow, the market is set for continued expansion.
Regulations
As of 1 April 2024, the CanG Act took effect, which included the MedCanG Act and brought major changes to Germany’s medical cannabis framework. Key updates in Articles 2, 3, and 4 have removed bottlenecks in production, distribution, patient access and research, collectively driving market growth.
Medical cannabis is now a prescription drug, no longer classified as a narcotic, reducing paperwork for doctors and easing patient access. E-prescriptions have fuelled private-pay growth via telehealth services.
With easier access, some officials (such as Lower Saxony’s Health Minister) warn that the medical system now enables recreational use through legal loopholes. With the Christian Democratic Union of Germany/Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CDU/CSU) victory in the 2025 election, stricter regulations could follow such as telemedicine, as have been seen in Poland.
The MedCanG Act removed strict tender requirements for domestic cultivators, allowing them to scale up, expand product lines, and distribute directly. New cultivators can now enter the market with Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devizes (BfArM) authorisation under pharmaceutical standards.