Germany: medical cannabis imports to rise sharply in 2019

The German government announced a sharp increase in medical cannabis imports in 2019. The country imported 2,500 kilograms of cannabis during the first half of 2019, including 750 kilograms in the first quarter alone, according to federal government figures—a significant increase compared to 2018, when the country imported 3,000 kilograms over 12 months, a quantity that was nearly matched in just six months in 2019.

This increase is largely due to a increase in the number of patients who are eligible for medical cannabis in Germany. For example, in March 2017, when the program was launched, only 1,100 people were enrolled, compared with 13,000 in March 2018 and between 50,000 and 60,000 according to the latest figures. Medical cannabis may be covered by health insurance and is available at pharmacies with a prescription.

In response to this increase, Germany is currently turning to other countries to meet its needs. The Netherlands has announced that it will export a total of 2,500 kilograms to Germany in 2019 and 2020. To this end, 1,500 kilograms are scheduled to be shipped by August, with the remaining 1,000 to be shipped by the end of December. The Dutch government has indicated that the country’s production capacity is sufficient to meet the increase in German demand. Currently, Bedrocan is the only company growing cannabis flowers for commercial purposes in the Netherlands. Germany’s other main supplier is Canada, which had already supplied approximately 1,300 kilos in 2018.

Germany, after legalizing the medical cannabis in 2017, planned to produce two metric tons of cannabis per year starting in 2021. However, it is likely that the German market will continue to import cannabis for some time to come. Domestic production licenses have just been granted, and the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArm) expects the first harvest to take place in early 2020, although this estimate seems optimistic.

The German government has also assured that companies will still be allowed to import cannabis for medical use even after the country launches its domestic cultivation program.