German Cannabis Business Assoc
CanDoc Violated Advertising Law
2025-11-26 | The Pharmacists’ Chamber North Rhine (AKNR) has achieved another success in its fight against the prescribing practices of digital cannabis platforms: The CEO of the CanDoc platform, Stefan Fritsch, withdrew his appeal against a cease-and-desist order from the Leipzig Regional Court on the recommendation of the Dresden Higher Regional Court (OLG), as reported by the Pharmazeutische Zeitung. The Dresden OLG signaled that the AKNR was justified in its complaint, as the offering was not primarily a telemedical service, but the platform was aimed at increasing the sales of prescription-only medicines. The platform is therefore violating the Medicinal Products Advertising Act (HWG), including the advertising ban for remote treatments. Furthermore, the Senate fundamentally considered it impossible for the prescription of medicinal cannabis to be permissible solely on the basis of a questionnaire. The AKNR expressed its satisfaction with the “clear words of the court” regarding the dangers of such offers. AKNR President Armin Hoffmann emphasized in a press release that the planned, tightened Medicinal Cannabis Act (MedCanG) with a ban on shipping cannabis flowers must now be implemented quickly. He warned that platforms are already trying to redirect users to cannabis extracts and THC vapes to circumvent the announced ban. In the view of the BvCW, the process is proof that action can already be taken against HWG violations and questionnaire prescriptions based on existing regulations, meaning the planned bans are disproportionate.
