Germany continues to serve as the largest legal medical cannabis market in Europe, and not just for domestically produced medical cannabis products. Germany reportedly imported a record amount of medical cannabis products from other countries in 2023.
In 2023, Germany imported 31,398 kilograms of medical cannabis products according to data from Germany’s Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), a 26.2% increase compared to last year’s medical cannabis imports.
In 2022 Germany imported 24,876 kilograms, compared to 20,771 kilograms in 2021, 11,746 kilograms in 2020, and 8,057 kilograms in 2019. Canada was the top source of imported medical cannabis in Germany followed by Portugal and the Netherlands. Roughly 50% of imported cannabis to Germany in 2023 originated in Canada compared to 40% the previous year.
Starting in 2017, Germany legalized the use of 14 different varieties of cannabis flower for patients with severe debilitating diseases and no other treatment options. The legal medical cannabis products have been distributed through German pharmacies ever since.
However, it wasn’t until 2019 that Germany allowed medical cannabis to be produced domestically, with the European nation’s medical cannabis industry initially relying solely on medical cannabis imports. Domestic production has ramped up since 2019, yet, medical cannabis imports have remained strong.
With the new German adult-use cannabis legalization law (CanG) taking effect on April 1, 2024, Germany’s medical cannabis industry is set to undergo a fairly substantial evolution going forward.
Three companies were chosen in 2019 to produce medical cannabis in Germany. The companies were capped at 10,400 kilograms of product production over the course of a four-year span. With the new CanG law taking effect, that quota system is going away. More companies can now apply to cultivate medical cannabis within Germany’s borders.
Furthermore, a major component of the new CanG law involves cannabis being removed from Germany’s Narcotics List, which will have a significant impact on patient access to medical cannabis. Germany’s medical cannabis program will no longer require a narcotic prescription form. The policy change will likely result in a dramatic increase in Germany’s legal medical cannabis base.
History was made over the weekend in Germany where adults celebrated the nation’s first-ever legal April 20th (4/20) on Saturday. For decades the 20th of April has held a special meaning to the global cannabis movement, and that includes Germany’s thriving cannabis community.
Speaking from firsthand experience in the State of Oregon where we legalized cannabis for adult use roughly a decade ago, there are three dates that longtime cannabis advocates will always remember for the rest of their lives.
The first date is when legalization is first approved. In the case of Oregon, it’s when voters first approved a cannabis legalization measure that was on the ballot in November 2014. For Germany, February 23rd, 2024 will forever live in infamy, as it is the date that members of Germany’s Bundestag first approved the CanG bill.
A second date that will forever live in the minds and hearts of Germany’s cannabis community is, of course, April 1st, 2024 – the date that personal cannabis cultivation, possession, and consumption officially became legal.
The third memorable date for cannabis consumers in legal jurisdictions is the first April 20th after legalization has become effective. Longtime cannabis consumers have presumably celebrated on April 20th every year, however, the annual cannabis holiday holds an extra special meaning when people can consume cannabis without fear of incarceration.
To be fair public cannabis use remains prohibited in Germany, although that didn’t stop thousands of cannabis enthusiasts from collectively consuming cannabis on Saturday in the shadows of the iconic Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Subsequent 4/20s in Germany will likely yield less public fanfare.
The first-ever legal 4/20 in Germany was made possible by the tireless work of dedicated cannabis advocates in Germany over the course of many decades. Everyone who contributed to Germany’s successful cannabis policy modernization efforts deserves massive kudos, and the International Cannabis Business Conference team salutes them and hopes that they enjoyed their first 4/20 in a post-legalized Germany.
With all of that being said, there is still a lot of work left to be done in Germany and at the European Union level. National adult-use sales are still prohibited in Germany due to European Union agreements, and advocates need to keep working hard until EU agreements are amended to permit robust adult-use commerce.
Additionally, inside of Germany’s borders cannabis advocates need to keep pushing back on the ongoing fearmongering from domestic opponents, and work to ensure that Germany’s implementation of the CanG law is fair and complete. Consumers and patients must be considered throughout the process, and regulations need to be reflective of the will of the people.
Roughly two weeks ago the first provisions of Germany’s new adult-use cannabis legalization law took effect, with policy components related to personal cannabis cultivation, possession, and consumption by adults being implemented. Adults in Germany can now cultivate up to three plants in their private residences and possess up to 25 grams when away from their homes.
On the heels of the historic policy change, international cannabis leaders have converged this week in Berlin for the annual International Cannabis Business Conference B2B event, which is Europe’s largest and longest-running cannabis industry conference. The two-day conference is scheduled to take place in Berlin at the iconic Estrel Berlin Hotel from April 16th-17th.
The International Cannabis Business Conference, which also co-organized the Global Investment Forum with the Talman Group that took place today on the eve of the B2B event, is hosting the first major event anywhere in Europe after Germany’s legalization law took effect. Representatives from over 80 countries are expected to be in attendance.
Once again, European cannabis policy modernization efforts will be a large focus of the two-day conference. The topic has always been prominent in past International Cannabis Business Conference events in Berlin going back to 2017 when the first flagship conference was held in Berlin.
However, the cannabis policy landscape has obviously shifted across Europe now that Germany has legalized recreational cannabis for adults. In addition to cultivation, possession, and consumption, noncommercial cannabis clubs are expected to play a prominent role in Germany’s legalization model. Noncommercial cannabis clubs are expected to launch in July of this year.
Germany’s legalization law also removed cannabis from the nation’s Narcotics List, the significance of which cannot be overstated. Cannabis research is now easier to conduct in Germany as a result, and the supply chain for medical cannabis products will be streamlined as well. Germany’s legalization model is now the gold standard for Europe.
“This year’s International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin is going to be extra special for our team given the historical context. We are excited to offer world-class cannabis industry and policy education, networking, and entertainment to attendees at such a historic time for Germany and Europe’s emerging cannabis industry.” says Alex Rogers, founder of the International Cannabis Business Conference.
Given Germany’s prominence in European industry and politics, many other nations in Europe are reportedly considering cannabis policy modernization efforts of their own. Germany is now leading a growing coalition of emerging legal European cannabis markets, and nations would be wise to join the coalition and follow Germany’s lead.
Cannabis science and technology will also be prominently featured at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin this week. Leading experts from many scientific fields will be presenting at the two-day event.
You can find a full list of speakers for the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin at this link here, and the full two-day schedule at this link here. For those who are unable to attend in person, you can follow along on social media via the conference’s Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn social media channels.
The largest Oktoberfest celebration occurs every year in Munich, Germany, with an estimated 6 million people expected to attend this year’s event in the fall. Oktoberfest is a festival that celebrates Bavarian culture and takes place in many parts of the world, not just Munich.
With cannabis legalization now the law in Germany, having taken effect on April 1st, lawmakers in Bavaria have announced plans to make the Oktoberfest celebration in Munich a “cannabis-free” zone and to implement a no-tolerance enforcement policy during the festival.
Public cannabis use remains prohibited throughout Germany despite adult-use legalization taking effect. While the law legalized cultivation, possession, and consumption by adults, it did not legalize cannabis use in public, which makes Bavaria’s expressed plans a bit redundant.
Many children will be at Oktoberfest, and there is a 1,000 euro fine for consumption in the presence of children or young people, as well as a 500 euro fine for consuming cannabis in pedestrian zones between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. or within the sight of schools or playgrounds.
To be clear, no responsible cannabis consumer is advocating to be able to have free reign when consuming cannabis in Munich during Oktoberfest. However, rather than Bavarian leaders demonizing cannabis and the adults who consume it, they should be using this as an opportunity to educate people about harm-reduction strategies regarding cannabis and alcohol.
Both alcohol and cannabis can and should be consumed responsibly by adults who choose to do so, and part of consuming responsibly is knowing the effects of combining cannabis and alcohol use.
According to a study from 2021, “Using multiple products (≥ 2) of alcohol was consistently linked to higher odds of experiencing a negative consequence” and “combining beer with only one cannabis product (leaf or concentrate) was consistently associated with lower odds of a consequence.”
“Combining cannabis with multiple alcohol products was associated with heavier alcohol consumption. Using dual cannabis products also was associated with heavier cannabis consumption, but this pattern was not significantly different than using concentrate only on a given day.” the study also stated.
The reality of the situation is that there will be people who consume cannabis and go to Oktoberfest. If you gather 6 million people together anywhere on earth, especially when most of them are adults, chances are many of them will consume cannabis before attending. Munich’s Oktoberfest celebration will be no exception.
Bavaria’s leaders would be wiser to educate the masses about what happens when alcohol and cannabis use are combined and encourage consumers to take necessary precautions to ensure that they are not harming themselves or other people, which, in turn, helps ensure that the attendee enjoys their time at Oktoberfest.
Leaders should also provide resources that help people find public transportation options, which would alleviate a considerable amount of potential public safety issues. That is true for Oktoberfest regardless of potential cannabis consumption.
On April 1st, 2024, Germany became the largest nation to ever implement a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure. The historic policy change has ushered in a new era for Europe’s emerging cannabis industry, with Germany leading the way. Several other European nations are reportedly making plans to modernize their own cannabis policies now that Germany’s policy change has become effective.
The timing could not be more perfect for the return of the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin on April 16-17th at the iconic Estrel Berlin Hotel. International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin is the conference series’ flagship B2B event and tradeshow, serving as Europe’s largest and longest-running cannabis B2B conference. International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin is also the first major cannabis event to occur after Germany’s legalization law took effect. In addition to the B2B event, the International Cannabis Business Conference will also co-host the Talman Global Investment Forum in Berlin on April 15th.
The emerging legal cannabis industry is becoming a global phenomenon, with more nations than ever before having modernized their cannabis policies to permit legal cannabis research and commerce. That spread of policy reform has, in turn, created tremendous potential at the international level for cannabis entrepreneurs, investors, and industry service providers.
Euromonitor International estimates that the emerging global cannabis industry is currently worth 51.4 billion euros, with that figure estimated to top 60 billion in 2025. Germany’s cannabis industry is currently estimated to be worth nearly 1.2 billion euros. With the first pillar of Germany’s legalization model launching and further expansion of the law on the horizon, that number is likely to increase considerably in the coming years.
The legal industry no longer operates in regional silos, and a major challenge currently facing the emerging international cannabis industry is the difficulty of effectively networking with people from all over the world. The International Cannabis Business Conference and Talman Global Investment Forum in Berlin are the perfect networking opportunities, taking place right in the middle of European cannabis history being made.
The International Cannabis Business Conference is the leading cannabis B2B event series on the planet, with previous conferences occurring in several countries on multiple continents. The event series is owned and operated by cannabis advocates who believe in celebrating cannabis culture, in addition to providing world-class cannabis industry education and networking opportunities.
“This year’s International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin is going to be extra special for our team given the historical context. We are excited to offer world-class cannabis industry and policy education, networking, and entertainment to attendees at such a historic time for Germany and Europe’s emerging cannabis industry.” says Alex Rogers, founder of the International Cannabis Business Conference.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to gain an edge on the competition in the emerging international cannabis industry, and it’s vital for people to get their ideas, products, or services in front of the right people at the right time. With executives, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and industry service providers converging from across the planet, the International Cannabis Business Conference B2B trade show event in Berlin is the perfect place to put cannabis ideas on the global cannabis stage. You can find a full list of speakers at this link here, and the full two-day schedule at this link here.
The Talman Global Investment Forum in Berlin, which will be held at the iconic Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, is investor-focused. Taking place on the eve of the International Cannabis Business Conference’s flagship B2B event in Berlin, Europe’s largest event of its kind, the Talman Global Investment Forum will bring together true leaders from top sectors and companies in the emerging cannabis space.
The goal of the event is to help facilitate meaningful networking, to provide timely education, and to stimulate deal flow potential among attendees. Rising industry sectors will be a major focus of the event, with speakers discussing how those sectors fit into the larger industry ecosystem.
“We know how hard it is for quality investors to link up with vetted cannabis industry companies offering valuable investment opportunities,” Rogers stated. “That is why we are bringing the Talman Global Investment Forum back to Berlin. It will be a prime networking opportunity for cannabis industry investors, entrepreneurs, and industry service providers alike.”
Over 5,000 cannabis leaders from over 80 countries will be represented at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin and that includes representatives from every sector of the industry as well as leading international cannabis policymakers and industry service providers. Attend the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin to network with investors, entrepreneurs, industry regulators, and international policymakers and take your industry pursuits to the next level. Secure your tickets now before the B2B and Talman Global Investment Forum sell out.
For many long-time cannabis consumers and medical patients, there are few things as rewarding as cultivating a personal amount of cannabis. Historically, legal home cultivation was just a seemingly far-off dream for many adults in Germany, however, home cultivation is now legal for people 18 and older in Europe’s largest economy thanks to the tireless efforts of German cannabis advocates.
Legalization in Germany involves various provisions, including the right to cultivate three plants in a private residence. Adults can now possess up to 25 grams of personal cannabis while away from home in Germany, and up to 50 grams at their residence.
Another important facet of Germany’s new cannabis law involves lower penalties (administrative offense) for people caught possessing slightly more than the permitted limit.
While it is difficult to know exactly how many adults will choose to cultivate cannabis at home in Germany, Canada does provide some insight. Canada legalized home cultivation in 2018, and as of September 2022, an estimated 9% of Canadian consumers reported cultivating cannabis at home.
According to official statistics from 2021, an estimated 8.8% of adults in Germany aged 18-64 reported that they had consumed cannabis at least once in the last 12 months. Applying an 8.8% estimated consumer rate to Germany’s adult population and then applying a 9% home cultivation rate to that consumer base works out to over half a million people who would be expected to cultivate their own cannabis in Germany.
With that many people cultivating cannabis, certain sectors and products of Germany’s cannabis industry are going to explode, including but not limited to grow tents, grow lights, containers, grow mediums, nutrients, odor control temperature control, harvesting equipment, drying equipment, and storage technology. Service companies that specialize in energy efficiency will presumably experience increased demand.
The explosion in home cultivation product demand that is now underway in Germany will inevitably be met with a flood of products and services from innovative entrepreneurs and inventors. The best of those products will then have the potential to expand to an international market as legalization spreads across Europe and the rest of the globe.
The ‘ripple effect’ of Germany’s new cultivation freedoms will be felt around the world.
Demand for cannabis seeds and clones is going to be enormous in Germany going forward. Companies that specialize in providing quality cannabis genetics, both in Germany and the rest of Europe, are virtually guaranteed to see a spike in business.
The boost in home cultivation will result in more quality cannabis being consumed in Germany, and that, in turn, will boost demand for fun and unique ways to consume homegrown cannabis. As such, top companies that specialize in consumption gadgets and devices should experience an ancillary boost as well.
Germany’s emerging home cultivation sector will be a popular topic at the upcoming International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin, which is taking place later this month on April 16th and 17th. The event will be the first major cannabis event in Germany after legalization took effect. A limited number of tickets are still available.
Register today for the historic event before the conference sells out.
It’s official – with the clock striking midnight in Germany, and the date changing from March 31st to April 1st, the nation’s new adult-use cannabis legalization policy has become the law of the land. Adults (18 years old and older) in Germany may now partake in the newly established freedoms created by the implementation of the first pillar of the CanG law.
“It was time to initiate a paradigm shift in drug policy, ending the failed prohibition policy of the last hundred years.” stated Kai-Friedrich Niermann, leading attorney at KFN+ Law Office, about the historic change in Germany’s cannabis policies.
Germany is not the first country to have passed a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure, however, legalization in Germany is the most significant national policy change of its type since the start of global cannabis prohibition many decades ago. Below are the most noteworthy provisions of Germany’s new cannabis law that consumers and patients should know about.
Narcotics De-listing
Cannabis is being removed from Germany’s Narcotics List now that the new law is implemented, and the significance of that policy change cannot be overstated. One thing that may not be on everyone’s radar, but should be, is that the de-listing of cannabis in Germany will improve safe access for medical cannabis patients by removing some hurdles in the medical cannabis supply chain and streamlining processes for pharmacies. Cannabis research will be easier to pursue, and hopefully academic institutions will begin to receive national and/or EU-provided funds for specific research projects.
Historically, the cultivation of medical cannabis in Germany was regulated by a licensing procedure, with the nation’s Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices making the final determination on the quantity and price of domestically produced medical cannabis. Imports were not subject to the same process, and that provided a huge advantage to companies based outside of Germany. Germany’s new adult-use cannabis law should provide a tremendous boost to the domestic medical industry.
Personal Cultivation
The main initial way for adults to legally source cannabis in Germany once the new law takes effect is to cultivate it in their homes. Adults will be able to cultivate up to three plants in private for personal use according to the proposed measure. Personal cannabis cultivation is popular in other jurisdictions where it is permitted, including in jurisdictions where consumers have other options from which to legally source their cannabis like storefronts.
It’s virtually guaranteed that many adult consumers in Germany will choose to cultivate their cannabis, and that will, in turn, create massive opportunities overnight for companies that specialize in cultivation-related products and services such as seeds, grow lights, plant nutrients, harvesting equipment, odor control, and drying equipment. Cannabis seeds and clones are legal in Germany now, including for adults who are not citizens of Germany.
Personal Possession
In addition to being able to cultivate cannabis, adults in Germany are now permitted to possess a personal amount of cannabis (up to 25 grams). In addition to the expressed legal possession limit, penalties for possessing slightly more than the legal threshold will be considered an ‘administrative violation’ in Germany rather than a criminal offense yielding jail time.
According to a 2021 report from Heinrich Heine University Dusseldorf, Germany will save an estimated 1.05 billion euros annually by no longer enforcing cannabis prohibition, in addition to judicial savings of 313 million euros per year.
Cannabis Clubs
Another component of Germany’s new law involves permitting the launch and operation of noncommercial cannabis clubs. Clubs are currently expected to start on July 1, 2024. Membership-based noncommercial clubs, from which adult consumers can legally source their cannabis, will be subjected to various regulations. Seeds and clones are expected to be largely sourced from noncommercial clubs once they launch.
One of the sticking points leading up to the recently reported final coalition agreement was the implementation of noncommercial clubs, and part of the coalition’s compromise was to stagger the implementation date. After the launch, non-commercial clubs will likely be common throughout most of Germany.
Future Policy Modernizations
The previously listed items are part of the ‘first phase’ of Germany’s legalization plan, often referred to as ‘the first pillar.’ The second phase/pillar involves the launch of regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot programs, like what is already in place in the Netherlands and Switzerland, but on a significantly larger scale. Advocates will need to work extra hard in the coming months to ensure that Germany’s legalization launch is a success.
“The most interesting questions are now how the law will be applied in practice and whether, shortly after entering into force, it will be amended to keep up with the minister’s promises. The development of the coming weeks will be of great interest to the cultivation associations, which may have to adjust their intended organizational setup.” stated Peter Homberg of leading international law firm Dentons (see Peter’s full interview in the embedded podcast video below).
“There is still a long way to go before complete destigmatization and fair legalization are achieved. Neither the consumers, nor the activists, nor the industry must let up on this path, but must continue to do everything in their power every day to ensure that this path can be taken successfully.” stated Kai Friedrich Niermann of KFN+ Law Office.
Historically the cannabis plant was portrayed as a ‘gateway drug’ by cannabis opponents and many mainstream media outlets. It was a reefer madness talking point that was perpetuated in films and other works going back as far as the 1930s.
However, a growing body of scientific evidence is proving that the ‘gateway drug’ talking point is actually just false, unfounded prohibitionist rhetoric. Many public health advocates and researchers have found that the use of many other substances, including the misuse of household items and pharmaceutical drugs, often predates cannabis use in society.
Researchers in Germany recently conducted a study examining cannabis use in replacement of other substances, and the results of the study are promising, especially when considering how much more harmful many substances are compared to cannabis. Below is more information about the German study via a news release from NORML:
Mannheim, Germany: Nearly sixty percent of people undergoing opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) use cannabis to reduce their cravings for other drugs, including heroin, according to survey data published in the journal European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience.
German investigators assessed cannabis use trends in 118 subjects enrolled in OMT. Fifty-seven percent of respondents acknowledged consuming herbal cannabis, despite its use being a violation of the program’s rules.
Nearly half (45 percent) of cannabis consumers said that they used it “to reduce cravings for heroin,” and 24 percent acknowledged doing so to reduce cravings for cocaine. Respondents also reported using cannabis as a substitute for alcohol, benzodiazepines, and other controlled substances.
The study’s authors concluded: “A substantial proportion of patients using cannabis in our sample reported beneficial effects of cannabis use on craving for and use of other drugs, in many cases arguably more harmful substances. … [These results question whether] restricting cannabis use in general really promotes health in OMT patients. … Overall, our results suggest that cannabis should be considered as a strategy for harm reduction in OMT with the goal to reduce use of more dangerous drugs.”
The results of a 2021 study concluded that those in treatment for opioid use disorder who used cannabis were less likely to suffer from a non-fatal opioid overdose than were non-cannabis consumers. Other studies have reported that cannabis use is associated with greater opioid treatment retention rates and that it may mitigate opioid-related cravings among dependent subjects.
Full text of the study, “Does cannabis use substitute for opioids? A preliminary exploratory survey in opioid maintenance patients,” appears in theEuropean Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Relationship Between Marijuana and Opioids.‘
Germany’s Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner is pushing back on cannabis opponents in Germany, particularly Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff, stating that cannabis legalization “does not lead to chaos.”
Members of Germany’s Bundestag voted in February to approve a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure. The measure was then considered by the nation’s Bundesrat this month. Members of the Bundesrat refrained from referring the measure to a mediation committee which paved the way for the law to take effect on April 1, 2024.
Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff is part of a small group of domestic lawmakers in Germany that have tried to prevent cannabis policy modernization from happening in Europe’s largest economy and have lobbed various unfounded doomsday predictions about German legalization. It is a common tactic for opponents in jurisdictions that have adopted legalization measures.
“The focus, at least for me, is not on the right to be intoxicated. It’s about overcoming an unsatisfactory situation like we currently have – namely that millions of people consume cannabis on the black market and without any health education.” stated Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner according to Zeit Online about opponents’ expressed concerns. “We can’t leave everything in a black or gray area. And that’s why this regulation is responsible.”
Currently, adult-use cannabis is legal in Uruguay, Canada, Malta, and Luxembourg where lawmakers have passed national measures. In all of those jurisdictions, no significant adverse impacts on society have been reported.
Conversely, legalization is achieving many predetermined goals in those jurisdictions, including reducing the burden on those countries’ taxpayers by no longer enforcing failed prohibition.
According to a 2021 report from Heinrich Heine University Dusseldorf, Germany will save 1.05 billion euros annually by no longer enforcing cannabis prohibition, in addition to judiciary savings of 313 million euros per year.
German Bundesrat President Manuela Schwesig signed the nation’s legalization legislation on Wednesday, which served as the last procedural step before the law’s enactment. Starting on Monday, adults in Germany will be allowed to cultivate up to three plants in their private residences, as well as possess and consume cannabis for recreational purposes.
Additionally, cannabis will be removed from Germany’s Narcotics Law, which is going to provide a significant boost to Germany’s emerging medical cannabis program. Medical cannabis patients will be some of the biggest winners of the upcoming policy change, as it will significantly boost safe access to cannabis.
Historically, patients in Germany have had to go through the process of being approved by a physician to legally access cannabis products for medical purposes. As of April 1st, adult patients will be able to cultivate their own cannabis without having to prove that they suffer from a qualifying condition, and soon, they will also be able to join a cannabis club from which to legally source their cannabis.
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