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Germany’s Drug Commissioner Endorses Decriminalizing Cannabis

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

In recent years Germany has taken over the title of ‘cannabis capital of Europe’, at least from a cannabis industry perspective. Germany’s medical cannabis industry is booming, and with domestic production ramping up, more industry growth is on the way.

However, on the adult-use side of the cannabis policy equation, Germany is still lagging behind a handful of other countries. Uruguay and Canada have already legalized cannabis for adult use, although each country has its own model.

Legal decisions in countries like Mexico and Italy have carved out some legal protections for adult-use cannabis consumers in those nations, and several countries are pursuing adult-use cannabis pilot programs in some fashion.

German lawmakers rejected an adult-use cannabis legalization measure late last year, although, with a federal election looming support for adult-use legalization could increase depending on the results and who is in office post-election.

Decriminalization On The Horizon

Separate from the push to legalize cannabis for adult use is an effort to at least decriminalize a personal amount of cannabis flower. That is a policy change that appears to be supported by Germany’s federal drug commissioner. Per Spiegle (translated from German):

Now the drug commissioner of the federal government, Daniela Ludwig ( CSU ), has advocated prosecuting cannabis possession up to a personal use limit of six grams nationwide as an administrative offense – and no longer as a criminal offense.

“In my opinion, a limit of six grams would be acceptable – nationwide,” the government representative told the editorial network Germany (RND). ”A limit value above which the possession of cannabis should continue to be punished as a criminal offense and not as an administrative offense must be set with care, because it has a certain signal effect and an influence on consumer behavior.”

Ludwig is advocating for decriminalization in Germany as a compromise between those that want to legalize cannabis for adult use and those that want cannabis to only be legal for medical purposes.

Decriminalization Does Not Go Far Enough

Decriminalizing cannabis up to 6 grams is not as straightforward of a policy as it may seem to some people. Does the 6-gram limit only apply to dried cannabis flower? What about concentrates, edibles, transdermal patches, tinctures, etc.?

Years ago, cannabis decriminalization was more straightforward because the variety of cannabis products was largely limited, and a flower-only decriminalization policy was more encompassing of what consumers had in their possession. That is not the case now, including in Germany.

Those concerns are in addition to the flaws in the basic premise that cannabis decriminalization is a good public policy. Sure, decriminalization is better than outright prohibition and treating cannabis possession as a crime, however, it’s still not ideal.

An ideal national cannabis policy involves embracing the emerging cannabis industry to not only save public funds that were previously being wasted on enforcing prohibition, but also to reap the economic benefits of a booming industry such as job creation, stimulating local economies, and public revenue generation via taxes and fees.

To hammer home that point, consider alcohol decriminalization versus a regulated adult-use alcohol industry. Obviously, there’s a major difference between the two, and one is clearly better than the other. The same is true for cannabis in Germany, and beyond.

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Consolidation In The German Cannabis Market? “High-Priced Will No Longer Exist”

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Berlin, Business.

Attorney Peter Homberg, partner at business law firm Dentons, spoke with krautinvest.de ahead of the International Cannabis Business Conference about potential changes to medical cannabis prescribing, pending market consolidation, IP-protected forms of application, clinical trials, cannabis IPOs, uniform EU-wide rules for medical cannabis, and more.

Key Facts:

  • Complex reimbursement practices on the GKV side will be maintained.
  • A way for exclusivity of own products: Patent forms of application.
  • Clinical studies: We always experience surprises – the required effectiveness cannot always be proven. A negative outcome can have an impact on the overall market.
  • In one to two years, the next German cannabis companies will be ready for a successful IPO.
  • The EU is becoming a supplier market.
  • We need uniform standards for medical cannabis in the EU.

krautinvest.de: Hello Mr. Homberg. Since March 2017, medical cannabis has enjoyed a special position in the pharmaceutical industry. Flowers and cannabis extracts, not only finished medicinal products, are allowed to be prescribed. Patient:s must be chronically ill and other treatments have been tried beforehand. There is an authorization requirement. Will this process continue in the coming years?

Peter Homberg: We have to look at two processes: First, the issue of reimbursement. And secondly, the documentation obligation vis-à-vis the BfArM: Which patient is prescribed which application with which success?

I assume that the current complex reimbursement practice on the part of the GKV will be maintained. The GKV funds want to check very carefully who receives cannabis as medicine, in order to avoid at all costs that patients who do not fulfill the prerequisite receive cannabis. The documentation obligation will also be with us for a while, as will the fundamentally positive therapy-open approach.

In this context, we should not forget that in 2017 the legal basis for prescriptions via the detour as “Rezepturarzneimittel” was created very quickly. In the initial phase, this led to an incredible reimbursement level of 20 euros or more per gram because of the “pharmacy surcharge” for prescription drugs. In the meantime, we are already experiencing a price erosion – hardly anyone is still selling for the maximum price of 9.52 euros, which has applied since the new price regulation.

krautinvest.de: In the case of cannabis flower, companies are not incentivized to research because there is no or little chance of patentability. In which cases can researching cannabis companies protect their IP and how?

Peter Homberg: There are different approaches by the industry to gain exclusivity for their products. They certainly can’t do that if they are only growing and distributing flower. One way is to patent forms of application – such as inhalation devices or patches, etc. Of course, there is also the option of bringing finished medicines to market. However, this requires extensive clinical trials, and from my many years in the pharmaceutical industry I know all too well that we always experience surprises in the process, i.e. that the required efficacy cannot always be proven. Admittedly, the situation is somewhat different with cannabis; after all, the companion survey already shows that cannabis has a positive effect. Nevertheless, there is a risk that a clinical trial with a negative outcome for one indication may have an impact on the overall market.

krautinvest.de: What kind of investment costs are we talking about here?

Peter Homberg: For a clinical trial with a cannabis product up to the end of clinical phase 2b, sums of between 80 and 150 million are conceivable, depending on the indication. This is less than for other pharmaceutical products, since, for example, no extensive toxicity testing is required. We already know: Cannabis is safe.

krautinvest.de: Some cannabis companies are already looking at an IPO, partly in order to raise such investments. In Canada, we saw share prices plummet after the initial hype. Are German cannabis companies ready for the IPO?

Peter Homberg: The IPO is one of the variants for raising capital for entrepreneurial activities. If I want to research and grow as an entrepreneur, I need capital. For an IPO, however, I firstly need a good and convincing storyline and secondly I need to have proven sustainability. For this, cannabis companies in Germany are on a very good path, but they are still relatively young. I therefore think that in one to two years, the first companies will be ready for a successful IPO.

We have also seen companies elsewhere that have gone public without proving sustainable profit – in Canada, for example. In my view, companies should first demonstrate some form of profitability in order to manage a successful IPO. In addition, a stable and comprehensible business plan should be a matter of course. Ultimately, the crucial question is how big the companies are and how much capital they can raise.

krautinvest.de: There are now around 100 wholesalers in Germany. Will we see more M&A in the future?

Peter Homberg: We will certainly see consolidation in the German market. In perspective, we will not see 30 to 40 distributors for medical cannabis products in the German market. At what prices the cannabis distributors will sell is difficult to predict. However, in my view, the high prices from the early days will no longer exist. I think that in the meantime you have to cut back and it will also only become clear who is willing to buy.

krautinvest.de: And what will change beyond distribution and research?

Peter Homberg: In the short term, we will certainly see one or the other supplier of cannabis flowers and extracts in Europe. I am thinking, for example, of companies from Portugal, Spain, Greece or even Malta. The EU will therefore turn into a supplier market, which could lead to further pressure on current prices. It also remains to be seen how much “German cannabis” will contribute to this.

krautinvest.de: Keyword EU. EU-wide cannabis programs are partly declared superfluous. Entrepreneurs, on the other hand, complain about a highly fragmented regulatory market at the national level. Germany leads the EU by a wide margin. Do we need our own uniform rules at country and EU level for medical cannabis?

Peter Homberg: Absolutely: Yes! We need uniform standards both within the EU and at the national level. Accordingly, in March 2019, a European Parliament resolution was submitted to the Commission to implement a uniform framework for cannabis at the EU level. Currently, the Commission is working on a directive for the harmonization of the European market for cannabis in European countries. This is also urgently needed. Because all member states of the European Union handle medical cannabis differently, which is very unfavorable for the European single market. This is exactly why the European Cannabis Association was founded. At the ECA, we are particularly committed to industry-friendly harmonization.

About Peter

Peter Homberg is a partner in the Dentons Berlin office. He focuses on life sciences, IP, corporate law and M&A transactions in the life sciences and high-tech sector as well as in R&D and cooperation agreements, cross-border IP licensing and IP strategies. Furthermore, he has extensive experience providing legal advice on compliance issues. Additionally, he is the head of the German Life Sciences Practice and European Cannabis sector group. Peter advises inter alia companies in the pharmaceutical, diagnostics, biotechnology, medical device and medical cannabis industries—from startups to large publicly listed companies. Furthermore, he has broad transactional experience in Southeast Asia. Peter is member of the Licensing Executive Society (LES), the German Association for Intellectual Property and Copyright (GRUR), the German Institution for Arbitration (DIS) as well as the Pharma-Lizenz-Club Deutschland e.V. He regularly holds lectures at seminars and conferences. He is the author of numerous professional articles and other publications regarding corporate or IP law in the field of life sciences and medical cannabis.

At the International Cannabis Business Conference, Peter Homberg will give an update on regulatory changes in Europe and Germany regarding medical cannabis at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26.

This interview was originally published in German on krautinvest.de and is syndicated with special permission: https://krautinvest.de/konsolidierung-im-cannabismarkt-die-hochpreisigkeit-wird-es-nicht-mehr-geben/

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German Politicians Gather To Discuss Cannabis For Historical Meeting In Berlin

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Berlin, Politics.

As the German election nears, the International Cannabis Business Conference hosts a unique panel of politicians from across the political spectrum to discuss the future of cannabis politics aus Deutschland

Germany is facing a national election at the end of September. 

This is a watershed moment in German politics. Germans are going to the polls to decide the next steps of a country that has been helmed by Angela Merkel, herself a unique figure in German politics for the last generation (literally 16 years). There are a lot of issues at stake.

Cannabis reform is just one of them. However, it is a big one.

As a result (and as a first of its kind) the International Cannabis Business Conference is hosting a unique event this year. Moderated by Jürgen Neumeyer, the managing director of the BvCW, a trade group for German cannabis firms, this fascinating hour-long panel will feature top politicians and policymakers from across the spectrum debating the future of legalization in Germany.

From Erwin Rüddel, the CDU-affiliated chair of the German Bundestag’s Committee on Health to politicians and representatives from the SPD, Die Linke and the Greens, the conversation will focus on how to move the needle forward in a political and economic climate that so far has been challenging.

Will Germany follow Switzerland, Portugal, and Holland into a recreational trial in the next several years, or will the question of greater normalization if not full boat recreational reform languishes in more political wrangling and delay? 

But this is hardly the only issue on the table. What is the future of medical cannabis reform in a country where most patients still cannot find doctors, much less gain approvals if they have statutory health care – and how can needed social reforms in health insurance create a better environment for the chronically ill and those who need access now but cannot get it? 

This entire conversation of course is taking place at a time when cannabis by prescription has been legit for over four years, yet the drug is also not even decriminalized (putting patients at even greater risk). 

Beyond the medical discussion, CBD also still languishes in a strange space, even as other countries in Europe begin to experiment with recreational trials.

Neumeyer will guide the panelists through the bigger issues at the table – as well as try to determine a path if not a timeline for future reform. Held on the first day of the International Cannabis Business Conference B2B conference on August 26th, this is a first-of-its-kind event that should not be missed.

Book your last-minute tickets now to the International Cannabis Business Conference when it returns to Berlin August 25-27.

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Cannabis May Help Reduce Refractory Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Medical.

According to the World Cancer Research Fund, as many as 18 million people were diagnosed with cancer worldwide in just 2018 alone. It’s a very sad statistic, and will never quantify the pain and suffering that cancer patients have to endure.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for cancer. Cancer comes in different forms, and there are different treatments available depending on the patient’s situation.

A common form of cancer treatment is chemotherapy. Anyone that has endured chemotherapy treatment will be quick to tell you that it is absolutely awful, resulting in all types of side effects including severe nausea.

Fortunately for suffering cancer patients, the results of a new study indicate that cannabis extracts may be able to help reduce refractory chemotherapy-induced nausea. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

The adjunctive use of cannabis extracts significantly reduces symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant chemotherapy-induced nausea, according to clinical trial data published in the journal Annals of Oncology.

Australian researchers compared cannabis extracts (oral capsules containing 2.5mg of THC and 2.5mg of CBD) versus placebo in a cohort of 72 patients with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV).

Researchers reported that the adjunctive use of cannabis extracts was associated with reductions in patients’ nausea and vomiting, and also with improvements in subjects’ overall quality of life. Although the majority of patients did report side-effects, these effects were largely limited to non-serious events such as sedation and dizziness.

They concluded: “The oral THC:CBD cannabis extract was active and tolerable in preventing CINV, when combined with guideline-consistent antiemetic prophylaxis for a study population with refractory CINV. … Further research is necessary to determine the significance and durability of improvements observed in specific AQOL-8D [quality of life] dimensions.”

Cannabis extracts containing equal ratios of THC and CBD are already available in many countries by prescription under the brand name Sativex. The substance is not legally available in the United States. By contrast, oral synthetic THC, marketed under the brand name Marinol, is FDA-approved in the US for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy.

 

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Long-Awaited Cannabis Legalization Bill Introduced In U.S. Senate

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

When it comes to cannabis policy, the United States is very unique. Cannabis still remains illegal at the federal level in the U.S., however, several states have legalized cannabis for adult use and all but two have legalized cannabis for medical purposes to some degree.

It’s a federalism policy discrepancy that has led to showdowns in the past in the form of dispensary raids and prosecutions. Fortunately, federal raids on state-legal cannabis businesses have subsided in recent years.

A supermajority of United States voters supports ending federal cannabis prohibition, with legalization receiving majority support from both sides of the aisle.

That bipartisan support comes at a time when the United States is as divided as much as ever before. In politically hostile times, you will be hardpressed to find a more winning political issue than cannabis reform.

Unfortunately, Congress has dragged its feet when it comes to passing legalization legislation. Federal cannabis reform measures have passed in the House of Representatives, but not the Senate. A new bill is giving new hope to the status quo changing. Per our friends at NORML:

United States Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), along with Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) unveiled draft legislation repealing the federal prohibition of marijuana at a press conference on Wednesday.

The draft legislation, titled the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, makes numerous changes to federal marijuana laws while providing deference to states’ cannabis policies.

Upon introducing the legislation, Sen. Schumer said: “This is monumental because at long last we are taking steps in the Senate to right the wrongs of the failed war on drugs. … I will use my clout as Majority Leader to make this [legislation] a priority in the Senate. … It makes eminent sense to legalize marijuana.”

NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri said: “The days of federal prohibition are numbered. These actions by Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Senators Booker and Wyden reflect the fact that the supermajority of Americans is demanding that Congress take action to end the cruel and senseless policy of federal prohibition. It is time for legislators to comport federal law with the laws of the growing number of states that have legalized the plant, and it is time for lawmakers to facilitate a federal structure that allows for cannabis commerce so that responsible consumers can obtain high-quality, low-cost cannabis grown right here in America without fear of arrest and incarceration.”

NORML Political Director Justin Strekal added: “Our main priority is to ensure that Americans who choose to responsibly consume cannabis are no longer discriminated against under the law. “With one in eight Americans choosing to consume on a semi-regular basis, including nearly one in four veterans, we must end the practice of arresting over 500,000 Americans every year and denying countless others employment, housing, and other civic rights if we are truly to be the ‘Land of the Free’. The federal government can take great strides toward rectifying this situation by advancing the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act through the legislative process.”

Specifically, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act directs the US Attorney General to remove marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act — thereby allowing states to either maintain or establish their own cannabis regulatory policies free from undue federal interference. Under this scheme, state governments – if they choose to do so – can continue to impose criminal penalties for marijuana possession offenses. However, states would not be permitted to prohibit the interstate commerce of legal cannabis products transported through their borders.

The proposal also mandates for the expungement of the records of anyone convicted of a federal, non-violent marijuana offense. The expungements must take place within one year of the law’s enactment.

The Act also forbids federal officials from taking discriminatory actions against those who legally use cannabis. It prohibits “individuals from being denied any federal public benefit … on the basis of [the] use or possession of cannabis.” It also, for the first time, permits physicians associated with the US Department of Veterans Affairs to make recommendations to their patients to access medical cannabis.

The proposal transfers primary agency jurisdiction over cannabis regulation from the US Drug Enforcement Administration to the Food and Drug Administration and to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in manner similar to the ways in which these agencies already oversee alcohol and tobacco products. A federal excise tax of 10 percent would be imposed within the first year of the law’s enactment. Medical cannabis access programs, which are operational in the majority of US states, would not be disrupted under this federal plan.

Pending language in the US House of Representatives, the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act of 2021, similarly removes (deschedules) cannabis from the CSA and facilitates the expungement of past federal marijuana-related crimes. House lawmakers passed a previous version of the MORE Act in December by a vote of 228 to 164, marking the first time that a chamber of Congress ever advanced legislation to end the federal prohibition of cannabis. Senate lawmakers, however, failed to take up the bill.

Senators are seeking feedback on the draft legislation through September 1. Public comments may be provided to Cannabis_Reform@finance.senate.gov. In an interview with the publication Politico in April, Sen. Schumer pledged that he would hold a floor vote on the bill “sooner or later” this term. The Senate has never held a floor vote on legislation pertaining to descheduling cannabis.

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German-Grown Cannabis Available In Pharmacies For First Time

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Medical.

The Tilray/Aphria owned facility becomes the first GMP certified crop to make its way to German pharmacies since the beginning of the tender bid process.

In a victory that has taken literally four years to accomplish, the first German-grown cannabis, produced by the Tilray/Aphria consortium in Neumunster, near Hamburg, has begun to be distributed to German pharmacies.

That said, the process has been torturous, extended and drawn out. On top of this, the terms of the bid were never going to allow any of the producers to come close to producing enough in-country (at least for four years) of demand, which has also steadily grown here since 2017.

The Importance of imports to the German market

While the beginning of domestically cultivated cannabis is an important step, the reality is that imported cannabis will play an important role in the market for years to come. This in turn has already led to feeder markets in countries like Portugal and Greece and attracted cannabis from as far away as Africa and Australia.

Indeed, in terms of trigger events, it is the German bid itself, with the setting of both certification grade and the mandate for health insurance to cover the same, that has created the beginnings of what is going to be the world’s most valuable medical cannabis market and further one that will, as of next year, begin to also see recreational experiments all over the continent.

Indeed, it seems odd and strangely timed (although of course nobody could have predicted Covid and the slowdowns in all that have occurred) that the Tilray/Aphria coalition, which itself is a strange Frankenweed merged company on both sides of the discussion in both Germany and Portugal, plus one of the largest distribution networks in Germany via the acquisition of one of the larger regular distributors (CC Pharma), would begin distribution right before the Swiss and Luxembourg recreational trials are set to begin.

Whatever the coincidence, the reality is that even in Germany, cannabis, even if of “just” the medical kind, is becoming a normalized reality across Europe – and it is the Deutsch market that has led the way.

In the next few years, the many problems caused by normalization will continue to fragment the industry – until the industry comes together and changes the laws on cannabis at a European level. Until then, it is one step and victory at a time, and this announcement is no small feat.

Be sure to book your tickets now to the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin!

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Spanish Court References European Decision On CBD

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Medical.

A Spanish lawsuit acquitting a CBD store owner in Spain becomes the first legal judgment in the country to reference the EU decision that the cannabinoid is not a narcotic.

Legal eagles are paying attention to an interesting Spanish case this month which is likely to be as influential in the country in terms of setting precedent for CBD sales as the French vape case. 

According to legal counsel, Joan Bertomeu of the Brotsanbert law firm which defended the store, “This ruling is very important because, contrary to what the Anti-Drug Prosecutor’s Office and the Medicines Agency maintain, it is clear that the hemp flower, with low THC content and prevalence of CBD, cannot be considered a narcotic because it does not produce an effect and, therefore, cannot be considered criminally taxable.”

An overview of the case

Much like other CBD precedent cases around Europe, this saga began on August 14, 2018, after two Civil Guards inspected the Valencia-based store. While none of the product on sale violated European limits on THC in the plants and other products on sale to the public, there was hashish and marijuana in a private office that was for personal consumption. The defendant also purchased the for-sale products legally with invoices that were produced in court.

The judge recognized the recent judgment of November 19, 2020, in the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Other Precedents in Europe

The Brotansbert law firm, which is becoming known for activist cases in Spain (they also represented Albert Tio, the Spanish cannabis club activist) is clearly looking for these kinds of cases in the country, and even better, winning them. They are joining other law firms across the region in defending clients from conflicting regulations as the impact of the EU CBD case ripples through impactful court cases and thus precedent.

While this case is very much like the case in France where the sellers of CBD vapes imported from another EU country also were acquitted, there is one case which is not like this. The recent German hemp case is NOT like either the Spanish or French cases in that while the federal court did not convict, they remanded the case back to the lower court because the seller violated the rule on hemp levels in the EU.

In the meantime, it is very clear that the EU precedent on hemp is shaking through national legal systems at minimum via legal battles and victories if not national legislative action. That push must come from the industry.

Be sure to book your tickets now to the International Cannabis Business Conference when it returns to Berlin in August 2021.

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Spanish Agricultural Cannabis Redevelopment Project In Suspense

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Medical.

A large roses to cannabis production facility in Garrray Spain, Europe’s largest greenhouse of red roses, now sits empty as AEMPS delays on granting medical cannabis authorization.

Once upon a time, in a town called Garray, about 9 kilometres from Soria, on the banks of the Douro River sat a large greenhouse. It used to be the largest producer of red roses in Europe. After being bought by an American investment fund that specializes in the cannabis sector, they applied for a license to the Spanish medical authority to produce cannabis.

Aleia Roses, the owner of the greenhouse, was one of the largest companies in Soria, with more than 250 workers. The company had planned to produce 40 million flowers a year. Full Moon investments bought the facility in 2020 and planned to grow roses and medical cannabis. However, last April the owner decided to ditch the rose idea and focus only on cannabis. Since then, the permit has not arrived and everyone is getting nervous.

Cannabis Cultivation Licenses in Spain

The situation with new license development in Spain has been tricky for some time. There are, according to insider sources, 4 licenses, and these are held by various members of the Spanish Royal Family plus Alcaliber, a private company now shipping Spanish-grown cannabis to among other countries, Germany.

One of the reasons that licenses are difficult to obtain in Spain is that AEMPS is highly suspicious of outside investors obtaining licenses and then merely flipping them without developing a site. The AR project is different – namely, the facility is already built, and it is a form of economic development for Spaniards in a depopulated region that desperately needs the work.

However, this kind of waiting game is bad for future projects, no matter what happens. Covid is increasingly not a reason for delays and economies all over Europe are beginning to try to figure out ways to get started once again.

There is a demand for medical cannabis in Europe that so far has not been met, and right now, cultivation projects are needed all over the region – from Portugal and Denmark to Greece.

Be sure to book your tickets to the International Cannabis Business Conference now for the August return to Berlin.

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Germany’s Cannabis Vape Market Likely To Expand Rapidly

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Business, Medical.

An Israeli firm has obtained a first-of-its-kind license from the German regulatory authorities for extracts for inhalation.

The German market remains one of the most interesting in Europe in terms of product approvals and entry. As of last month, an Israeli company, Panaxia, along with its German partner Neuraxpharm, obtained a first of its kind regulatory license from German authorities for the marketing and distribution of medicinal cannabis extracts for inhalation.

The vape market so far is in its infancy so far – namely because of not only approvals but cost. So far, the largest vaped cannabinoid in the country is flower – usually with a medical vape made in Germany.

With the importation of extracts for inhalation, the vape market is likely to expand rapidly – starting with the introduction of Kanabo’s vape pod and associated vape capsules.

How fast they will find acceptance, however, is a discussion that may languish simply because most medical vape products are not affordable to the average patient without specific health insurance approval first.

That said, for existing medical cannabis patients, this alternative may become an alternative their insurers will pick up – especially for those who are fed up with the hassle of vaping flower.

Alternative Product Forms on The German Market

While flos has been the most prevalent new form of the drug for the last five years or so, there are indications that the German medical market is opening to other kinds of medical cannabinoids. Dronabinol is a big part of the market here – about 1/3 of the same – including the liquid kind. Now there will be other forms of cannabinoids that doctors can choose from.

This may increase the interest of doctors in prescribing the drug – especially given medical preference for “dosing.”

What this is also likely to do is create another expensive cannabis drug that insurers are reluctant to cover – and will be more expensive than the average cannabis patient can afford.

Right now, the average cost of cannabis to a patient is still running about 1,000 euro per month if they cannot obtain health insurance approvals upfront. This is a cost that is added to by the cost of a doctor’s prescription.

Change in other words is coming again to the German cannabis market – but the biggest barrier of all to access – cost and doctor prescription, remains unsolved.

Be sure to attend the International Cannabis Business Conference when the conference returns to Berlin in August.