The European Cannabis News Update

Europe Cannabis News

european cannabis news update

Germany Goes Full Steam Ahead With Domestic Cannabis Cultivation

The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices of Germany (BfArm) have just announced that they would be buying 7,200kg of pot in the next four years from the German subsidiaries of Aphria and Auroria Cannabis, two major Canadian cannabis companies.

In the process, they will be awarding contracts to local growers to help create a strong foundation for their own medical supply while reducing the need to rely on imports. Public contracts will be mandated to follow a 10-day waiting period, so that the failed bidders will be able to challenge the final decision prior to contract signing.

This is good news as for many years, Germany has gone through many challenges in domestic cultivation. The first harvest is expected late in 2020, according to BfArm. They add that this project is necessary so that Germany’s terminally ill patients will finally be able to procure good quality cannabis.

“Aphria is proud to have been selected as a successful applicant in the German tender process, a testament to our high production quality standards,” says Hendrik Knopp, Aphria Germany’s Managing Director. “The decision from BfArm is a validation of our strategic approach to supporting the German medical cannabis market, including with high-quality domestic production to secure vital supply for patients. We are very pleased with our continued business momentum in Germany.”

Once domestic cultivation has already been established, there should be no new obstacles faced by suppliers on imports so that German citizens can make use out of both imported and domestic cannabis.

Marijuana Business Daily Report Gives Us A Realistic Look At Europe’s MMJ Market

A report that has just been released by Marijuana Business Daily entitled, “Medical Cannabis in Europe: The Markets & Opportunities,” may be beneficial for entrepreneurs and new businesses looking to get a piece of the European cannabis market.

“It’s the first report that estimates for the year 2018 how much was sold in each relevant country, the types of products, how these were distributed and where they were produced,” said Alfredo Pascual, international analyst for MJBizDaily.

According to the report, it was only Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands that saw significant sales last year. Meanwhile, year on year sales from 2017 to 2018 increased two-fold, thanks to high demand in both Germany and Italy while the Netherlands saw a decrease in medical marijuana prescriptions in the same time period.

It also highlights the fact that many EU nations started making changes in their drug policy or advancing MMJ legislation. Seeing the progress of these nations is important in understanding how long it takes for a good medical cannabis industry to develop.

“The number of countries with some medical cannabis legislation and their population numbers should be interpreted with caution,” says Pascual. “To have a complete picture, companies and investors interested in the European market should also consider how much it’s actually being sold and how restrictive regulations are.”

“Significant time might pass from the moment a country approves certain medical cannabis legislation and a real market emerges,” he says. Some examples include Croatia, the Czech Republic, and North Macedonia, where the cannabis market is still small despite being years ahead with their MMJ programs.

Luxembourg Has A Chance Of Setting A Good Example For EU In With MMJ In 2020

Luxembourg may be a small country, but by the time they legalize cannabis in 2020, they have a good chnance of setting a good example for the rest of the continent.

Writer Mia Thomsin expounds on the Luxembourg government’s plans to legalize recreational cannabis. Thomsin, in an article for Civilized, spoke to Easy Going, an online shop selling CBD products in Luxembourg. The representative disclosed that CBD is legal in the country for adults aged 18 and up, though most of their clientele is aged between 25 and 70. He says that they see a bigger demand among senior citizens, but they aren’t allowed to provide medical advice on how to use their CBD products. It’s also interesting that when they come across patients asking about medical CBD, Easy Going recommends them to go see a doctor.

As of now, Easy Going’s recommendations are restricted to cannabis flavors and effect.

The Easy Going representative also opined that he thinks the Luxembourg MMJ structure will be similar to that of Canada’s, and that they’ll all have to be ready for such a scenario.