Source: German Cannabis Business Assoc
In its statement on the draft bill to amend the Medical Cannabis Act, the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW) criticises the proposed regulations as counterproductive for patient safety, supply, and efforts to combat the black market.
The BvCW especially warns against a general ban on remote treatment and the prohibition of mail-order sales of medical cannabis flowers. Both would significantly impede access for many seriously ill and mobility-impaired patients and partially push them towards the black market. Instead, the association calls for low-threshold, safe, and controlled access channels, for example through model dispensing projects in pharmacies even without a medical prescription. This could be particularly useful for chronically ill patients with milder symptoms.
Additionally, the BvCW points to the need for EU-wide harmonised rules for telemedical prescriptions to ensure uniform standards and patient protection even for treatments by doctors from other EU countries.
To further develop medical care on an evidence-based basis, the association advocates for scientific model projects in which new forms of administration are tested and accompanying therapy data collected. This could also provide a safe alternative for medical supply.
The Federal Association of Pharmaceutical Cannabinoid Companies (BPC) and the German Hemp Association (DHV) also voiced strong criticism. They described the proposal as disproportionate and warned against the criminalisation of serious providers and a setback in digital healthcare. Both call for differentiated regulations, clear standards, and the preservation of medical treatment freedom.
In contrast, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband) is calling for an even more restrictive approach: cannabis flowers should be completely removed from the statutory health insurance catalogue. Their efficacy is not sufficiently proven, the association states. The health insurers therefore explicitly welcome the planned mail-order ban and advocate for stricter approval requirements for all cannabis-based medicines.
Statements from the German Association for Digital Health Care, the German Parity Welfare Association, the German Medical Association, the German Association for Behavioural Therapy, and the company Cantourage are also available.
