The success of the robust German medical cannabis program is an example for the rest of Europe, claims a newly-formed lobby group.
As patients in other European jurisdictions struggle to access cannabis medicine, Germany is leading the way with over 142,000 prescriptions written in 2018. It is also leading the way in cutting prices with a new wholesale prices of 2.3 euros per gram set to substantially reduce the current cost of medical cannabis, reports the Mjbizdaily website.
Sita Schubert, secretary general of The European Medicinal Cannabis Association (EUMCA) says the positive example of Germany can change perceptions when discussing an EU regulatory framework for medical cannabis, reports the Euractiv website.
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Black Market Dangers
Its members include larger firms such as Tilray, Panaxia and Materia Ventures, smaller companies like Cannaflos, and a large German pharmaceutical association.
It wants to ensure all drugs comply with The European Medicines Agency guidelines and European GMP standards. In the absence of an EU-wide framework, more patients could be forced on to a dangerous black market, warns the EUMCA.
Prices Plummet
The Czech Republic, Italy, Malta, and the Netherlands have all adopted medical cannabis programmes and the one in the United Kingdom has been far from successful with just a handful of patients securing prescriptions through the NHS.
Meanwhile the German federal government has announced it will buy at least 650 kilograms of medical cannabis flower from domestic producers for approximately 1.5 million euros ($1.66 million) per quarter, which sets the average wholesale price at 2.3 euros per gram.
With a mandated pharmacy markup of 100% this will substantially reduce the current retail prices of medical cannabis in Germany which is about 20 euros per gram. Meanwhile, CBD use in Germany continues to grow, although a new report from New Frontier Data shows that German public are slightly less aware of, and exposed to, CBD than the European average.
It says that Germans are reportedly confident about CBD’s medical applications, although few have used products other than oils and tinctures, and many are uncertain about dosing.
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