Germany: first patient authorized to grow cannabis

For the first time in Germany, a court on September 28, 2016 authorized a patient to grow his own cannabis for therapeutic purposes. The 57-year-old man suffers from multiple sclerosis.

The patient, from Mannheim in south-west Germany, will be allowed to grow a maximum of 130 plants of cannabis per year, for strictly personal use.

The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) had previously rejected all such applications. Over 900 patients are now authorized to use cannabis for medical purposes. However, cannabis supplied by the Dutch company Bedrocan has to be bought in pharmacies, where a gram costs around €15, with no reimbursement from German health insurance.

Before receiving his permit, the patient had lodged several complaints, explaining that he could not cover the €1,500 monthly cost of his cannabis. In the spring, the Federal Administrative Court ruled that the BfArM should «allow the plaintiff to cultivate cannabis, harvest it and use it for medical purposes in his treatment».

The man suffers from a number of symptoms, including spastic paralysis, language disorders and depressive disorders.

Berlin introduced a bill this summer to allow the prescription and reimbursement of medical cannabis in certain cases. If social insurance covers these costs in the future, this patient's cultivation permit, which is valid until June 2017, will automatically expire immediately.

Pending this decision, he will be able to grow 20 plants at the same time. His plants and crop must be kept in a safe place.

L’Germany to legalize medical cannabis in spring 2017. A Cannabis Office will oversee the production, distribution and sale of cannabis. Until the first state crops are harvested by licensed farmers, Germany will continue to import cannabis from the Netherlands and Canada.