On the long and winding road of import applications…

A prerequisite for the import is that the cannabis can be dated back to its original source, which is a licensed medical producer under the exporting states control. These laws are the result of the 1961 single convention on narcotic drugs.

In addition, import applicants must also have permits for cannabis testing, nationwide official permits by the Medicines Act, the import permit, the wholesale licence, and the manufacturing authorisation.

The importing company must appoint a ‘narcotics officer’ who has sufficient expertise. Expertise can include a university degree in biology, chemistry, pharmacy or human / veterinary medicine or the testimony of a vocational training as a wholesale pharmaceutical merchant.

On the possibility of full cannabis legalisation…

In July 2017, The Green Party introduced a bill, known as the ‘Cannabis Control Law’, to the German Federal Parliament proposing the complete legalisation of cannabis . The law provided a complete decriminalisation of users, and a regulated market for cultivation, wholesale, speciality shops, processing and import. During the negotiations, the FDP and the Left Party joined forces to create a pro-legalisation coalition. However, the current ruling coalition does not necessarily agree on the issue. Several initiatives for the controlled sale of cannabis have been proposed in the Bundestag but the government is yet to vote.

Most recently, the Federation of German Detectives has advocated for legalisation and it remains an exciting proposition as the Grand Coalition has made significantly more progress than any previous government.

The German cannabis industry is only going one way – international. Medical cannabis patients have grown 1200% in a single year and simultaneously, the government has, albeit hastily, introduced a series of licences for both domestic and international cultivators. Germany has ignited a fire in the heart of the European cannabis community and provided a bright spark of hope for cannabis patient advocates and entrepreneurs alike.

For more reading on the German cannabis industry, download the full report.