Tag: Germany

German Cannabis Business Week – Global Industry To Converge In Berlin

Written by Johnny Green on February 23, 2025. Posted in Business.

Germany’s legal cannabis industry is experiencing an unprecedented revolution. Thanks to last year’s adoption of the CanG policy modernization measure, every major sector of the nation’s emerging cannabis industry is experiencing growth.

The German Cannabis Business Week will take place during this pivotal moment, bringing together leaders from across the global cannabis industry to Berlin, Germany, beginning on April 28th, 2025. The week will commence with The Talman House’s exclusive investor gathering, held at the prestigious Hotel Adlon Kempinski, an internationally renowned venue recognized for its historic significance and unmatched hospitality.

This private investor event, reserved for The Talman House members, will serve as a strategic forum where key investors and industry experts will examine evolving market dynamics, investment trends, and regulatory shifts shaping the European cannabis sector. Discussions will center on the economic implications of Germany’s legalization model, the expansion of regulated cannabis markets across the EU, and how investors can navigate the rapidly changing landscape.

Following the Talman House event in Berlin, the International Cannabis Business Conference will once again bring its flagship two-day conference to the iconic Estrel Berlin Hotel on April 29th-30th. International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin is Europe’s largest and longest-running cannabis B2B event, and this year’s installment will be bigger and better than ever.

Several important and timely topics will be covered at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin, including Germany’s cultivation associations. As of July 1st, 2024, aspiring cultivation association operators can apply with their local regulatory authorities in Germany. Many association applications are being processed across Germany, with dozens of associations already receiving approval and having launched operations.

Additionally, regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot projects are expected to launch soon in Germany, and it is sure to be a popular topic at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin. Associations and pilots are expected to proliferate many parts of Germany. Competition is going to increase significantly within Germany’s industry, and a great way to learn how to maximize your opportunities and network with industry leaders is at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin. Register now and save $200 before ticket prices go up on April 2nd at midnight.

Part of the new German CanG law involves permitting adults to cultivate up to three plants in their private residences. Home cultivation legalization is creating a thriving industry sector in Germany. Companies specializing in home cultivation equipment and cannabis genetics are experiencing exponential sales growth within the German market.

Germany’s emerging medical cannabis industry was already the largest in Europe before the nation’s new CanG law took effect. However, since April 1st, 2024, when the first provisions of adult-use legalization became effective in Germany, the nation’s medical cannabis industry has already grown exponentially.

A main contributing factor to the recent growth of Germany’s medical cannabis industry was the removal of cannabis from the nation’s Narcotics List, which was a key component of the new CanG law. The removal of cannabis from the list made it easier for doctors to prescribe cannabis in Germany, in addition to improving the medical cannabis supply chain and boosting domestic medical cannabis production.

Medical cannabis is arguably the biggest winner of Germany’s adult-use policy modernization effort so far, and the boost in patient numbers is still very much in the early stages. Prior to April 1st, researchers estimated that Germany had between 200k and 300k active medical cannabis patients. That number is projected to increase to as much as 5 million in the not-so-distant future. According to a recent report by the Bloomwell Group, prescriptions for medical cannabis in Germany increased by roughly 1,000% between March 2024 and December 2024. Medical cannabis in Germany will be thoroughly discussed throughout German Cannabis Business Week in April.

Over 5,000 cannabis leaders from over 80 countries are expected to be represented at the International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin 2025 and that includes representatives from every sector of the industry, as well as leading international cannabis policymakers and industry service providers. Bring your company to the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin to network with the best and take your industry pursuits to the next level. Register now and save $200 before ticket prices go up on April 2nd at midnight. Make sure to secure your spot before the event sells out.

Additionally, serious entrepreneurs and investors looking to gain a footprint in Europe’s emerging legal cannabis industry should join The Talman House network. The Talman House is private and exclusive, with dozens of leading cannabis companies already serving as members. It is the largest private network of cannabis investors and executives in Europe and has helped established cannabis companies secure funding.

Membership in The Talman House provides numerous benefits, including gaining access to ongoing investor events in Europe such as the April 28th event in Berlin that kicks off German Cannabis Business Week. Joining The Talman House is an effective and efficient way to maximize your company’s potential in both Europe and abroad. You can find out more about how to become a member by contacting the Talman team.

An Important Upcoming Election For German Cannabis

Written by Johnny Green on February 15, 2025. Posted in Policy.

Germany is currently home to the most exciting legal cannabis industry in Europe. In addition to adult-use cannabis being legal and sectors involved with recreational home cultivation, consumption, and cultivation associations increasing in size every month, Germany’s medical cannabis industry is booming by every measure.

Against that backdrop, the upcoming federal election in Germany is set for February 23, 2025. Germany’s president previously announced the dissolution of the lower house of parliament, and with Chancellor Olaf Scholz also losing a confidence vote in December, it paved the way for an early election. The stakes for cannabis policy in Germany could not be higher.

As the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW) pointed out in a recent newsletter, the upcoming federal election in Germany could prove to be “decisive for the future of cannabis legalization in Germany.” Will the country continue its push for policy and regulatory modernization, will the current status quo remain, or will Germany regress on cannabis policy? It all depends on who gets elected.

BvCW provided a roundup of where political parties stand this week, stating (translated from German to English) that “while the SPD , the Greens , the FDP and the Left are in favor of a continuation or expansion of the current partial legalization, the CDU and AfD want to repeal the cannabis law and are taking a restrictive line.”

“The SPD is planning legalization in line with European law, the Greens are calling for specialist shops and international reform. The FDP is remaining vague and sticking to the current law, while the Left is the only party calling for complete decriminalization of all drug users and regulated access for other substances as well.” BvCW also stated. “The CDU and AfD argue that partial legalization has not reduced the black market and see it as a failure. Experts disagree and criticize that a return to prohibition would criminalize millions of people again. The BSW does not comment on drug policy.”

The German Hemp Association (DHV) also issued its own election analysis, urging German voters to select candidates from the Left party, stating (translated from German to English) “The Left, freed from the hesitant Wagenknecht fans, can really take off and take a clear stance.”

“With the best program and convincing answers, Die Linke is the clear winner of the election check and our clear recommendation to vote for. It is the only party that identifies a specific need for changes to the CanG.”

“We can expect all three traffic light parties to defend the Cannabis Act against the prohibition parties. However, all three parties have not made a perfect impression due to unnecessary resistance from their responsible ministers and state associations.” DHV stated about the SPD, Greens, and FDP parties.

“The CDU and AfD clearly position themselves as opponents of cannabis. Both parties want to reverse decriminalization and prosecute cannabis users again.” DHV also stated in its election analysis.

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition’s (LEAP) board members in Germany have also issued election guidance. LEAP was originally started in the United States by former members of law enforcement who oppose the harms of cannabis prohibition and has since expanded internationally. While LEAP did not issue any voting endorsements in Germany, it did make its position clear that Germany must not regress on cannabis policy and voters need to ensure that doesn’t happen in the upcoming election.

“We recognize that in the current legislative period, with the Consumer Cannabis Act and the transfer of cannabis for medical and medical-scientific purposes into a separate law, significant progress has been made towards a rational decriminalization of consumers. However, we are also concerned that some parties want to reverse the progress made so far in drug policy and thus, with their statements in their election manifestos, are diametrically opposed to our goals as LEAP Germany.” the organization’s Board in Germany stated (translated from German to English).

“We are not making any election recommendations, but for us as the LEAP board, it is absolutely clear that we can only vote for a party that advocates maintaining the progress made and further developing an evidence-based drug policy and that recognizes that the prohibition of the past decades has failed and instead focuses on health policy instruments in dealing with addictive substances.” organization leadership also stated.

For further analysis of Germany’s upcoming election and how cannabis policy may be affected, check out the International Cannabis Business Conference’s recent conversation with leading international attorney Peter Homberg of gunnercooke.

German Pharmacists Oppose Reclassifying Cannabis As A Narcotic Drug

Written by Johnny Green on February 5, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

German pharmacist Florian Sedlmeier and other members of Germany’s pharmacy industry are publicly pushing back on an effort by cannabis opponents in Germany to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic drug in the European nation. Cannabis was removed from Germany’s Narcotics List last year as part of the enactment of the CanG law.

“Pharmacist Florian Sedlmeier warns against reclassifying medicinal cannabis as a narcotic drug (BtM). Such a step would increase the bureaucratic burden and make it more difficult to provide patients with rapid care, ” stated the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW) in its recent newsletter, citing an article from apotheke-adhoc. “He considers the concern expressed by SPD Health Minister Clemens Hoch that medicinal cannabis can be ordered too easily online to be understandable, but stresses that pharmacies carefully check prescriptions and licenses.”

“Reclassification as a narcotic would not curb the black market, but rather limit storage and the range of products available in pharmacies. Pharmacies are currently benefiting from the fact that medicinal cannabis no longer has to be stored in safes and can be prescribed more easily using e-prescriptions or model 16 forms. Instead of returning to the narcotic prescription requirement, Sedlmeier proposes stricter control of medical prescriptions, for example by requiring doctors to submit prescriptions and possible sanctions in the event of misuse.” BvCW also reported.

Germany implemented the first provisions of its new adult-use cannabis legalization law on April 1st, 2024, legalizing the personal cultivation, possession, and consumption of cannabis by adults. Another major component of the first provisions involved the previously referenced removal of cannabis from the nation’s Narcotics List.

According to a recent report by the Bloomwell Group, prescriptions for medical cannabis in Germany increased by roughly 1,000% between March 2024 and December 2024. The report also found that prices for medical cannabis products are decreasing in Europe’s largest medical cannabis market.

Another component of Germany’s new legalization model involves permitting cultivation associations. The application process for cultivation associations started on July 1st, 2024, and to date, 83 cultivation applications have been approved, with hundreds more working their way through the process.

Germany was already home to the largest legal medical cannabis industry in Europe before the enactment of adult-use legalization, and changes in medical cannabis policies and regulations in 2024 have resulted in a domestic medical cannabis boom, as demonstrated by the data in Bloomwell’s recent report.

Legal medical cannabis imports continue to rise in Germany as well. During the first three full months following Germany’s enactment of the CanG adult-use legalization law (Q3), legal medical cannabis imports increased by over 70% compared to the previous period.

Alex Rogers, founder and CEO of the International Cannabis Business Conference, recently visited Helios’ Munich pharmacy location to see their world-class operations firsthand, which can be viewed in the video embedded below. The video provides a great glimpse into Germany’s emerging legal medical cannabis industry:

german germany berlin police law enforcement german germany berlin police law enforcement

German Government: No Connection Between Cannabis Legalization And Organized Crime

Written by Johnny Green on February 4, 2025. Posted in Policy.

Since the implementation of the first provisions of adult-use cannabis legalization in Germany back on April 1st, 2024, some cannabis opponents inside and outside of the country have tried to claim that recreational legalization is causing a spike in organized crime activity.

However, in the federal government’s answer to a recent inquiry made by the CDU/CSU parliamentary group regarding the “Mocro Mafia” in North Rhine-Westphalia, it was made clear that this is not the case based on the available evidence. The question and answer was included in the German Cannabis Business Association’s (BvCW) recent newsletter.

“Does the federal government see a connection between the legalization of cannabis and the increase in organized crime? especially the “Mocro-Mafia” in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), and if not, why not?” was the question posed by the CDU/CSU faction (question #27, translated from German to English).

“The legal changes as part of the legalization of cannabis are only been in force for a few months. At present, no conclusions can be made about the impact on organized crime. Over and beyond
the events mentioned in North Rhine-Westphalia are probably not due to the partial legalization of cannabis, but rather to independent conflicts between rival criminal gangs.” the federal government stated in response to the question.

The answer from Germany’s federal government comes on the heels of the results of a peer-reviewed study being published that addressed another claim made by global cannabis opponents, this one being based on the claim that ‘legal cannabis sales lead to a spike in emergency room visits.’

“This study investigates the impact of recreational cannabis retailer allocation on emergency department (ED) visits related to cannabis, alcohol, and opioids.” the researchers in the recent study stated. The study used data from Canada’s legal recreational market which launched in 2018.

“No significant effects were found in cannabis, alcohol, or opioid-related ED visits following the allocation of cannabis retailers.” the researchers concluded. “The allocation of recreational cannabis retailer licenses did not significantly impact acute care use.”

Another common claim made by cannabis opponents is that ‘cannabis legalization harms youth and increases youth consumption rates.’ Numerous studies have looked at the data in the United States where several state-level legalization laws have been adopted going back to 2012.

“Youth marijuana use declined in 19 out of 21 states that legalized adult-use marijuana—with teen cannabis consumption down an average of 35 percent in the first states to legalize a decade ago—according to government data.” Marijuana Moment stated in its recent reporting.

Report: German Medical Cannabis Prescriptions Increased 1,000% In 9 Months

Written by Johnny Green on January 28, 2025. Posted in Business.

“Despite the rapid increase in cannabis patients, companies, doctors and pharmacies have ensured a secure supply,” explained Niklas Kouparanis, co-founder and CEO of Bloomwell, according to reporting by apotheke-adhoc.

“We are at the very beginning of a new era,” emphasized Kouparanis. “It is now the task of the next federal government to shape the regulatory framework in such a way that jobs continue to be created, investors are given security and innovation is promoted so that patients continue to benefit from cost-effective access to therapy.”

Germany adopted the first provisions of its new adult-use cannabis legalization law on April 1st, 2024. The provisions involved permitting adults to cultivate, possess, and consume personal amounts of cannabis. Additionally, cannabis was removed from Germany’s Narcotics List. The latter provision has provided a major boost to Germany’s medical cannabis industry.

83 Cannabis Cultivation Associations Have Been Approved In Germany So Far

Written by Johnny Green on January 24, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

Germany implemented the first provisions of its new adult-use cannabis legalization model on April 1st, 2024. The initial provisions involved permitting adults to cultivate, possess, and consume personal amounts of cannabis, among other things.

Then, starting on July 1st, 2024, people could start applying to launch a cultivation association in Germany. Cultivation associations, sometimes referred to as cannabis clubs, involve members joining an association from which to legally source their recreational cannabis. Personal provisions and cultivation associations serve as ‘Pillar 1’ of Germany’s legalization model.

According to a recent response from the federal government to an inquiry made by the Left Party in Germany, and as initially reported locally by Frankfurter Rundchau, 83 cannabis club applications were approved nationwide in Germany as of December 2024. An additional 349 applications are being processed, and 12 applications have been rejected so far.

“There are currently no cannabis clubs in either Saarland or Bavaria. Applications have been submitted, in Bavaria, for example, there are 29, but those interested will have to be patient.” Frankfurter Rundchau stated in its reporting. “The CSU-led Bavarian state government has already announced that it will take its time with the approval.”

Currently, cannabis is legal for adult use in Uruguay, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, and South Africa. Of those, Uruguay and Malta expressly allow cultivation associations (or ‘clubs’) as part of their legalization models. For contextual purposes, Uruguay currently has 460 registered associations/clubs, and Malta had only three registered cannabis clubs as of last year.

When comparing the populations of Uruguay (roughly 3.4 million) and Malta (roughly 550,000) to that of Germany (over 84 million), it is obvious that Germany needs more cultivation associations to support its adult cannabis consumer base.

However, it is also worth pointing out that Uruguay legalized cannabis in 2013, and Malta in 2021, so both countries have had a significant headstart over Germany when it comes to cultivation association/club implementation.

Cannabis Can Be An Economic Growth Driver In Germany

Written by Johnny Green on January 22, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

If properly regulated and allowed to reach its full potential, Germany’s emerging cannabis industry can serve as an economic growth driver, and lawmakers elected in Germany’s upcoming election need to recognize that. That is the premise of a new position paper recently published by the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW).

The position paper, titled (translated from German to English) ‘Cannabis as a growth driver: Industrial opportunities and policy directions,’ defines three core positions for Germany’s upcoming federal election to be held next month:

Combating organized crime, increasing public safety – enabling commercial supply chains for consumer cannabis.
Complete the liberalization of industrial hemp in order to leverage economic and ecological potential.
Working together to create modern regulations for telemedicine.

“The cannabis industry in Germany has developed into a dynamic and promising industrial sector since the legalization of medical cannabis in 2017. For the medical cannabis sector alone, sales of around 450 million euros are forecast for last year – and the trend is continuing to rise.” BvCW stated in its newsletter this week.

“With the introduction of the Cannabis Act, the market for home cultivation equipment for recreational cannabis has also grown significantly. Industrial hemp also offers diverse and sustainable potential for agriculture, the construction industry, textiles and composites.” the newsletter also stated.

“The cannabis industry is a magnet for foreign investment capital, which creates jobs and generates taxes. The Cannabis Act was an important building block on which politics should continue to build,” explains Dirk Heitepriem, President of BvCW.

“The cannabis industry is growing and has much more potential. In order to exploit this, it is important that the next federal government finally abolishes the intoxication clause for industrial hemp and supports the approval of model projects with professional supply chains,” adds Michael Greif, Managing Director of BvCW.

Germany implemented the first provisions of its new adult-use cannabis legalization model back on April 1, 2024. Regulators then launched the application process for cultivation associations on July 1, 2024. The launch of regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials was initially expected by the end of last year, however, the launch of trials has experienced various delays due to politics.

“While the public debate often remains limited to the area of consumer cannabis, it is primarily the medical cannabis and industrial hemp segments that have developed into an important industrial sector.” BvCW stated in its position paper regarding Germany’s emerging cannabis industry.

“Especially against the background of international legalization projects for medical and, in some cases, consumer cannabis and a weakening German economy, it is crucial to understand this development not only as part of health policy but also as a natural part of future-oriented economic policy.” BvCW also stated in the position paper.

Currently, cannabis is legal for adult use in Uruguay, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, and South Africa. Recreational pilot trials are also operating in the Netherlands and Switzerland, and two dozen states in the U.S. have adopted adult-use legalization measures.

With the looming election in Germany on the horizon, and a seemingly shifting political landscape, some cannabis industry members and reform advocates are expressing concern that Germany’s eventual new government may hinder the momentum that Germany’s cannabis movement has experienced in recent years.

“Despite the complete ban on cannabis in recent decades and intensive law enforcement on both the supply and demand sides, cannabis consumption has continued to rise,” BvCW points out in its position paper. “In order to push back the black market with all its negative implications, legal and regulated access routes to quality-assured cannabis products are necessary.”

“This would not only result in a reduction in the burden on law enforcement authorities, more security for consumers and better protection of minors, but also offer the opportunity to benefit from the economic potential in the form of corporate and sales taxes.” states BvCW.

“The Cannabis Industry Association would like to work together with a new federal government to further develop cannabis regulation. Starting with strengthening the resilience of domestic pharmaceutical supply chains, from competitive conditions for agriculture to closely monitored supply chains for consumer cannabis: this is the only way to enable state control and effectively strengthen internal security.” the position paper stated.

BvCW advocates for regulating, and not prohibiting, several sectors of Germany’s emerging cannabis industry in its position paper, from cannabis seeds and genetics to telemedicine and the launch of pilot trials. You can read the full position paper at this link here.

Where Do Germany’s Political Parties Currently Stand On Cannabis Policy?

Written by Johnny Green on January 19, 2025. Posted in Policy.

Germany’s president previously announced the dissolution of the lower house of parliament. Chancellor Olaf Scholz also lost a confidence vote in December, paving the way for an early election on February 23, 2025.

As the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW) pointed out in its recent newsletter, the federal election in Germany next month could prove to be “decisive for the future of cannabis legalization in Germany.” Below is a summary of where each major political party stands on cannabis policy in Germany according to BvCW:

The CDU/CSU are strictly opposed to legalization and have announced that they will reverse the law if they win the election. They see the current law as a failure that neither limits consumption nor curbs the black market.
The SPD wants to stick to the current cannabis law and decided last weekend to also take the necessary steps for legalization in line with European law.
The Greens are striving to expand the law and establish licensed specialist shops.
FDP is committed to complete legalization and calls for education to ensure responsible consumption.
AfD rejects legalization and wants to reverse it immediately. It relies on offers of help for abstinence and emphasizes health policy concerns.
The Left is calling for further legalization. It is calling for a general rethink in drug policy and wants to promote prevention and regulate advertising for drugs such as alcohol and tobacco more strictly.

Starting on April 1st, 2024, cannabis possession and cultivation by adults became legal in Germany. Then, starting on July 1st, 2024, people in Germany could start applying to launch cultivation associations. The two components combine to make up ‘Pillar 1’ of Germany’s legalization model.

‘Pillar 2’ of Germany’s legalization model involves launching regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials. The pilot trials serve as local recreational cannabis commerce research projects to help lawmakers and regulators gain data and insight to help when crafting national laws and regulations.

For further analysis of Germany’s upcoming elections and how cannabis policy may be affected, check out the International Cannabis Business Conference’s recent conversation with leading international attorney Peter Homberg of gunnercooke.

High Tide Enters German Medical Cannabis Market Via Acquisition Of Purecan GmbH

Written by Johnny Green on January 16, 2025. Posted in Business.

High Tide, a leading community-grown, retail-forward cannabis enterprise, has officially entered the medical cannabis market in Germany through a deal with Purcan GmbH. High Tide’s acquisition will give the company a majority stake in Purecan’s operations, German import license, warehousing and logistics infrastructure, and in-development telemedicine portal.

“High Tide intends to leverage its Canadian Licensed cannabis procurement expertise, built on over $1.5 billion of the Company’s cumulative cannabis sales since Canadian cannabis legalization, to build a significant, market-leading German medical cannabis business unit.” the company stated in a news release.

“With German medical cannabis sales increasing rapidly after the adoption of the Consumer Cannabis Act this past April, this acquisition provides a base for the Company to expand into other European medical cannabis markets in due course.” the company also stated.

Lawmakers in Germany adopted the first provisions of the nation’s new adult-use cannabis legalization model on April 1st, 2024, with cultivation association provisions launching in Germany on July 1st, 2024. Medical cannabis was first legalized in Germany in 2017.

“I am thrilled to announce that High Tide is taking a significant step towards becoming a truly global cannabis company. By acquiring a 51% stake in Purecan, including its European wholesale and import license, its fully built warehousing and logistics infrastructure, and in-development telemedicine platform, we are strategically positioned to leverage our robust networks and relationships with Canadian licensed producers. With almost half of all German medical cannabis imports coming from Canada, this acquisition paves the way for us to emerge as a leading supplier of medical cannabis from Canada into Germany, potentially replicating our market share success in Canada.” said Raj Grover, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of High Tide.

“As I’ve said before, our German strategy is multipronged. This highly accretive acquisition provides immediate market entry into Germany while we explore opportunities for consumer research in collaboration with the Food and Drug Agency, aligning with the ordinance recently signed by Germany’s Agriculture Minister,” he also said.

“In addition to capitalizing on Germany’s rapidly expanding medical cannabis market, the Purecan acquisition brings a company with strong cultural and operational alignment into the High Tide family. This alignment has been reinforced through months of in-depth collaboration and is reflected in Purecan’s impressive financials, high margins, and lean operations. We anticipate this business unit will deliver a healthy margin profile, further strengthening our existing Canadian and international business lines,” added Mr. Grover.

“Since our very first meeting with Raj and the High Tide team a few months ago, it became apparent to us that there were significant cultural and operational alignments between our companies. Given that demand for medical cannabis in Germany is currently outpacing supply, this merger provides Purecan with a unique opportunity to tap into High Tide’s unmatched procurement expertise and relationships with Canadian licensed producers who currently provide half of all medical cannabis imports into Germany. We look forward to a fruitful partnership between our two teams to create long-term value for all stakeholders involved,” said Dr. Ehsan Omari, Chief Medical Officer, Purecan GmbH.