By Samantha Lewis

Prohibition partners reported that Germany has recorded a record number of imports of medicinal cannabis flowers in the last quarter of 2020. Germany imported a total of 2.7 million kilograms of cannabis flowers in the first half of the year. However, growth is expected to exceed 100% in 2021 and 2022.

The situation in Germany is the result of the problematic implementation of domestic production, as the first locally grown and manufactured medicinal cannabis products are due to be available in March this year. Domestic growers are expected to supply Germany with a total of 1.5 million kilograms of cannabis flowers in 2021 and 2022. Last year more than 2.7 million kilograms of dried cannabis flowers were imported into the country.

It was in 2016 when the federal government announced it would allow dried cannabis flowers and cannabis extracts for seriously ill patients who had no other treatment options. Australian companies doing business in Germany, including Althea and Little Green Pharma. The first batch of cannabis flowers produced by the Australian Natural Therapeutics Group (ANTG) was reportedly available in Germany late last year. The German market and other countries, including Australia, have been doing well for Germany so far.

In 2017 doctors in Germany were allowed to prescribe medical cannabis and in some cases, the costs were covered by the health insurance funds.

So far the demand for medicinal cannabis blooms in Germany has been met mainly by imports from Canada and the Netherlands. Prohibition Partners says that this makes Germany the second-largest consumer of medicinal cannabis flowers worldwide and expects this trend to increase. Germany only allows countries that comply with the United Nations Single Convention of 1961 to export cannabis to the country. The company must comply with the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and EU regulations, and must also be approved by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (BMSR).