Germany

Is weed legal in Germany?

“Das Gras,” the German word for weed, has undergone some legislative changes in recent years. Germany marijuana laws were modified on March 10, 2017, when the country legalized the prescription of cannabis to seriously ill patients even if other treatment options are available.  An amendment to the Narcotics Drugs Act (Betäubungsmittelgesetz) enacted the change, which also includes covering the cost of treatment through patients' health insurance. Legalization of medical use is the first movement on cannabis since a 1994 court ruling that shifted enforcement away from criminal penalties provided the amount held is “small,” as specified by individual German states. 

Is weed legal in Berlin?

Recreational marijuana is illegal in the city-state of Berlin, but medical marijuana is permitted in accordance with German marijuana laws. 

A survey of the existing medical market at the beginning of 2018 reported 13,000 applications were submitted by patients after the medical-use legislation went into effect in March 2017. 

Most recently, Germany opened applications for cultivators and will select a maximum of 13 companies to provide a steady supply for the medical German market.

Regulatory authority

The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices created a cannabis agency pursuant to the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, which states that “a member state must establish or appoint such a public agency as soon as cannabis is intended to be cultivated in the state in question for non-industrial uses” Werner Knöss, Ph.D., is the appointed head of Germany's Cannabis Agency within the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. 

Main Regulatory Body: Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices 

Subbody: Federal Opium Agency 

Contact for “Exceptional licenses to purchase cannabis for medical purposes”

Possession

Adult use is not legal, though consumption is technically not criminal. 

Medical marijuana in Germany

Medical marijuana is prescribed by physicians to seriously ill patients and distributed through pharmacies. No special permit is required to obtain medical marijuana in Germany. However, doctors must believe cannabis will be beneficial in treating the illness or symptoms. 

A survey of the existing medical market at the beginning of 2018 reported 13,000 applications were submitted by patients after the medical-use legislation went into effect in March 2017. 

In most cases, insurance covers or reimburses patients for medical marijuana. 

For more information: 

Telephone: +49 (0)228 99 307- 5103 or -5110 or -5135

Fax: +49 (0)228 99 307-4625

Email: t-rezepte@bfarm.de

Written inquiries should be addressed to:

Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte

Bundesopiumstelle –

Kurt-Georg-Kiesinger-Allee 3

53175 Bonn

Is CBD oil legal in Germany?

Hemp and CBD oil with THC content of less than 0.2% potency is legal to manufacture, buy, and sell in Germany.

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The information contained in this site is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical or legal advice. This page was last updated on July 19, 2021.