Towards a temporary shortage of medical cannabis in Luxembourg?

Luxembourg legalized medical cannabis in February 2019 and has been doing so ever since, regularly face shortages. This time, a change of medical cannabis supplier is at the root of a potential shortage.

Alerted to the impending crisis, MP Sven Clement, a member of the Pirate Party, recently brought the issue to the fore during a parliamentary session. In a direct question to Paulette Lenert, Luxembourg's Minister of Health, MP Clement stressed the urgency of the situation. «Only cannabis oils are currently available,» he said, pointing to a worrying shortage of medical cannabis in its other forms.

Minister Lenert acknowledged the problem, explaining that the shortage is attributed to a change in cannabis flower supplier. She revealed that the contract with Tilray, the former supplier, The contract expired on August 3, 2023. In May of the same year, a new call for tenders was issued and won by Schroll Medical, a Danish pharmaceutical company.

To bridge the transition period between suppliers, a major order for medical cannabis was placed in July. However, this order did not materialize, leaving the country in a vulnerable position. Minister Lenert explained: «The order has not arrived, and the new cannabis supplier also needs some time before it can supply a sufficient quantity. Cannabis flowers are produced specifically for the Luxembourg market».

Minister Lenert has indicated that further deliveries of medical cannabis are expected in late October and November.

In the meantime, Minister Lenert has assured us that there is a sufficient stock of’cannabis oils, This should make it possible to bridge the supply gap. The situation has nevertheless triggered discussions on the need for a more stable and resilient supply chain for medical cannabis in Luxembourg.

The shortage is also a direct consequence of the growing demand for medical cannabis, with prescription rates rising in recent years.

In 2020, one year after the legalization of medical cannabis, Luxembourg patients were prescribed 140 kg of cannabis. By 2021, this figure had doubled to 283 kg. The country had already had to make emergency purchases of several dozen kilos of medical cannabis at prohibitive prices to compensate for the lack of stock.