Medical Marijuana To Be More Widely Reimbursed In Germany, Hemp Bill Attracts Investors And More Cannabis News

The cannabis scene in Germany is slowly but steadily progressing. One recent proposal would significantly change the medical cannabis prescription process. The proposal comes from the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) and concerns reimbursements for medical marijuana prescriptions under Statutory Health Insurance (GKV) that covers around 90% of the population, writes Business of Cannabis.

Partial cannabis legalization took effect in Germany on April 1, allowing adults over 18 to legally possess up to 25 grams of dried cannabis and cultivate up to three plants at home. One of the biggest breakthroughs under this law is simplified medical cannabis use, or medical marijuana being regulated like ibuprofen.

Despite this simplification, one matter of concern for medical marijuana patients remained: the cost. To obtain an initial prescription for a marijuana product that qualifies for reimbursement through the GVK, doctors had to first get approval from the patient's health insurance company. On July 18, the G-BA approved proposals that would change this by allowing more than 70% of physicians to prescribe reimbursed medical marijuana without prior approval from statutory health insurance companies..

"It's going to have a major effect on basically the entire German market, because suddenly the statutory health insurers are required to pick up the cost of medical cannabis," said Sven-Roger von Schilling, the chief financial officer of Grünhorn, the umbrella brand for the largest cannabis network in Germany, per the outlet.

"So far, the health insurers have been very reluctant to pay for medical cannabis. That's why, for example, Grünhorn had approximately 90% of prescriptions we dealt with from self-payers or private prescriptions, versus approximately 10% reimbursed prescriptions," Schilling continued.

Since the new cannabis law took effect, even more people have turned to private prescriptions.

The new proposal suggests a broad list of specialist practitioners who would be allowed to prescribe medical marijuana without prior approval of the health insurance company. The list includes 16 specialists, general medicine practitioners and five additional titles.

In the next two months, the Ministry of Health could raise legal objections, which is not expected because this committee is made up of professionals in the field, explained Schilling. After two months, if there are no legal objections, the proposal will be published in the Federal Gazette and passed into law.

This could raise rates for insurance companies, but overall it would benefit patients who can't pay for private prescriptions.

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Read Also: Is Germany Poised To Become The Next Weed Epicenter In Europe?

First Applications For Social Clubs In Brandenburg

Meanwhile, cannabis associations in Brandenburg, a state in northeastern Germany, have submitted the first applications for joint cultivation, writes ASB Zeitung.

The Health Ministry confirmed that the State Labor Protection, Consumer Protection and Health Authority (LAVG) have received four applications. This small number of applications is likely due to other associations still being in the preparation process.

The Cannabis Club Dahme Spree in Königs Wusterhausen plans to submit an application for a cultivation community in August, as meticulous planning requires time, especially since the law is new. Some hemp farmers are even hoping the authority will provide training similar to that for agriculture.

It will probably take about three months for the authorized body to review applications, meaning the first cannabis available for members will likely come in spring.

Legalizing cannabis cultivation in Brandenburg is welcomed by all. Some townships are worried about becoming known as "stoner villages." Allowing joint cultivation communities, however, would notably impact agriculture in Brandenburg, leading to new jobs and economic opportunities.

On July 8, Germany opened its first cannabis social club, just about one week after the law allowing these places took effect.

Hemp Bill Will Attract Investors

In other cannabis-related developments in Germany, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture recently published a draft bill to modernize policies around industrial hemp cultivation and regulation. The proposed Industrial Hemp Liberalization Act (NLG) is set to clear legal uncertainties and open new avenues in the industrial hemp sector.

The measure eliminates the “intoxication clause” that states it is theoretically possible for an individual to get high by consuming large amounts of industrial hemp. The bill, however, prohibits intoxicating compounds, most of which are synthetically made using naturally occurring hemp compounds.

"This draft law is a final step to clearly taking hemp completely out of criminal law," Marijn Roersch van der Hoogte, VP and head of the industrial hemp department at the German Cannabis Business Association, told HempToday. "This is crucial because it will open the door to greater investment."

Read Next:

• What Are Germans Rolling In Their Joints? This Denver Cannabis Company Found Out At Berlin’s Mary Jane Trade Fair
• 22.8M Europeans Used Weed Last Year, German University Launches Marijuana Cultivation Course And UK’s ‘Cannabis Martyr’

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