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Since the partial legalisation of cannabis in Germany, its status as a medicinal product has also changed significantly.
Before the implementation of CanG last April, it remained difficult to find a doctor willing to support cannabis therapy, given the burdensome documentation required. However, it has now become relatively easy to access medicinal cannabis for a wide range of conditions following the removal of cannabis from the list of narcotic substances.
This is why Germany’s new Health Minister, Nina Warken, has warned of a ‘disturbing increase’ in the use of medicinal cannabis, which patients can now obtain easily through online platforms.
In just one year, the volume of cannabis sold in Germany has tripled, with users consuming 100 tonnes between April 2024 and April 2025, compared to 31 tonnes in the previous year.
The Health Minister suspects that recreational users are also exploiting this system, purchasing cannabis intended strictly for medical use via online portals. As a result, Warken has called for tighter restrictions on access to cannabis through online pharmacies and medical platforms.
Pharmacies ‘chambers’ (professional regulatory bodies for the sector) have also raised concerns, as demonstrated by a recent court ruling in Cologne. There, the North Rhine Chamber of Pharmacists (AKNR) successfully took legal action against an online cannabis portal and secured a court order preventing a cooperating pharmacist from advertising the product.
Remote cannabis prescriptions ruled illegal?
The AKNR took action against the platform Cura Medics, issuing a warning to a pharmacist it regarded as the platform’s operator. Although he is no longer listed on the site and the AKNR received written confirmation from the marketing company StraTeach that he was never its operator, the group considered the business model to be unlawful.
According to Pharmazeutische Zeitung, the Chamber deemed the platform’s promotion of remote treatment in violation of Section 9 of Germany’s Drug Advertising Act (HWG), which allows such treatment only in exceptional cases, and only when personal patient contact is not medically required.
In the Chamber’s view, prescribing medicinal cannabis via remote treatment fails to meet professional standards. Users of the platform were reportedly asked to complete a questionnaire, which AKNR argued could not substitute for proper medical communication.
Even though Cura Medics stated that prescriptions would only be issued after a personal assessment by a licensed physician, the Chamber was not convinced.
Concerns over unauthorised advertising
Another concern was that cannabis flowers could be selected on the platform before a prescription was obtained.
This was seen as unauthorised advertising of prescription-only medicines to the general public. The AKNR also noted the lack of scientifically proven evidence regarding the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis flowers, criticising the platform for attributing specific therapeutic effects to certain strains.
Additionally, the Chamber argued that publishing supposed patient case histories on the site violated Section 11 (1) No. 3 of the Therapeutic Products Advertising Act. According to the platform operator, however, the pharmacist had no control over the website’s content or technical administration and acted only as a cooperating partner.
Yet, because the pharmacy’s name appeared not only on invoices but also in the site’s legal notice for a period of time, the Chamber deemed the pharmacist complicit.
Court upholds AKNR’s position
The pharmacist, who has around 1,000 peers in similar online ventures, refused to sign a cease-and-desist order, prompting a hearing at the Cologne Regional Court in late May. The court issued an interim injunction after finding the advertising for telemedical treatment and medicinal cannabis unlawful.
Arguments that similar offerings exist elsewhere online and that the legal situation remains unclear did not alter the court’s decision.
Meanwhile, the AKNR is pursuing further legal action against another cannabis platform, where it has also won an initial ruling. It remains to be seen how these cases will affect the future of telemedicine for cannabis prescriptions in Germany.
However, given the political climate, it seems only a matter of time before tighter restrictions are introduced. If this forces patients back toward the black market, only the old players in the illegal trade stand to benefit.
“}]] Germany tightens control on online cannabis prescriptions. Court ruling bans advertising, while Health Minister calls for stricter access to medical cannabis via online platforms. Read More
