After 5 years of medical cannabis, Germany continues to import on a massive scale

Since 2017, medical cannabis has been prescribed by doctors in Germany in certain circumstances. Cannabis cultivation was not initially available in Germany, so all flowers had to be imported.

To meet growing demand and reduce dependence on imports, three medical cannabis companies granted licenses in 2019, giving them the right to grow a total of 10,400 kilos of medical cannabis in Germany over four years.

The majority of medical cannabis companies in Germany import and sell cannabis to the so-called Cannabis Agency of the Federal Institute for Medicines and Medical Products (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte or BfArM), which then sells it to pharmacies. In July 2021 first German cannabis flowers sold to pharmacies by the BfArM Cannabis Agency.

Germany imported a record amount of cannabis for medical and scientific use in the first half of 2022, putting the European Union's largest market on track to match, if not exceed, the total for 2021.

Imports of flowers and extracts in the first six months of 2022 reached 10,487 kilograms, 6.1 % more than in the first half of the year, according to data from the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) compiled by MJBiz.

Medical cannabis imports into Germany, compiled by MJBiz

During 2021, Germany imported 20,589 kilograms of cannabis for medical and scientific purposes, a substantial increase on the 13,346 kilograms imported in 2020.

The medical market is growing steadily and supply channels have been changing over the past 5 years. Canada, the country's leading supplier, is now competing with European countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark and Portugal, which are stepping up their production and export efforts. Some Canadian companies like Aurora have also relocated their production to Denmark, and now produce on European soil before exporting to Germany.

Origin of medical cannabis imports into Germany, compiled by MJBiz

While Germany doesn't report on its legal cannabis sales, France does. market is estimated 300 million, with room for further growth, both in terms of patient numbers and the development of real domestic production. L’addition of a recreational market could drastically increase these figures!