What is the result of its own success?: German & Australian Regulators Crackdown on Booming Cannabis Telemedicine Sector

The cannabis telemedicine industry, namely the flood of online healthcare businesses offering prescriptions virtually across global medical cannabis markets, has provided the greatest boom to the industry since the ‘green rush’ of 2018 in recent years.

Now however, government and medical associations have taken collective action to combat this rapid expansion. This could result in some of the fastest-growing markets around the globe being severely restricted.

Germany’s Ministry of Health now has published an long-feared amendment to the Medical Cannabis Act.

In parallel, the thriving Australian market is also enduring a widespread crackdown after the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) issued new guidance, specifically targeting ‘direct-to-consumer, single-issue telehealth models’.

Germany

New figures from May showed the German medical cannabis market continued its meteoric growth, with a 15% increase over Q4, 2020 in the first three months of 2025. This totaled 37,223kg.

In the wake of these dizzying growth statistics, the newly sworn in Federal Minister of Health, Nina Warken (CDU) seized the initiative and told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) that she wants to ‘restrict the easily accessible online prescriptions’.

The CDU has made this a point to talk about for years. Their recent electoral success saw them rise from the third largest party in Germany’s Bundestag, but not enough to be able form a majority government.

In a recent publication, the German Federal Ministry of Health addressed these concerns by publishing a proposed amendment on the loosely controlled telemedicine sector in Germany.

You can download the full version here. https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/fileadmin/Dateien/3_Downloads/Gesetze_und_Verordnungen/GuV/C/RefE_AEndG_MedCanG.pdf

The Ministry reports that between 2024’s first and second half, the imports for medical cannabis flowers increased 170%, but prescriptions (covered by GKV, the statutory health insurer) only increased by 9%.

The report suggests that many products have been prescribed privately, and are often distributed via platforms online, with little or no medical assessment. This trend, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, undermines patient security because cannabis flowers have addictive potential as well as cognitive health risks.

The MedCanG Act is being amended to reflect the changes proposed by the MedCanG:

Consultations in person are now required

• A face-toface consultation is required before prescribing cannabis flowers (either in a clinic or at home).

• Online prescriptions for follow-ups will be permitted, but only after a consultation in person has occurred within the last 12 months.

The ban on mail-order dispensing

• The direct delivery of cannabis flower to patients is no longer allowed

• Patients must give a detailed medical history during the consultation in person, along with undergoing a physical exam and giving their explicit consent to receive medical cannabis flowers.

• Now, prescriptions can only be picked up in a local pharmacy

• It is intended to give you the best possible advice on how to use your medication, its side effects and storage.

Non-Compliance with the Law can lead to legal sanctions

The bill must now be approved by the Federal Cabinet, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and including ministers from the CDU/CSU–SPD coalition.

It is not clear if the SPD will approve the current draft, given that they were the architects of this bill.

Australia 

The following is a list of Prohibition Partners Global Cannabis Report, 5th edition: Australia’s medical marijuana revenues will grow from US$600m to US$1.2bn in 2028.

Comparatively, the value of medical cannabis in Europe is projected to reach US$2.2 billion (US$1.2bn by 2028), and Germany alone accounts for US$1.2bn.

The Australian authorities are also concerned about the potential abuse and lack of supervision of the telehealth model. This is due to the fact that the growth rate of the German market has been surpassed by the explosive growth of the Australian one, which was driven in part by the same explosion of services.

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, (AHPRA), established a Rapid Regulatory Response Unit, (RRRU), in September 2024. Its mission is to investigate rapidly evolving healthcare models including online prescriptions.

The strategy went from a focus on individuals to one that looked at systemic issues within its framework.

Earlier this month, new prescribing data gathered by the regulator uncovered what it called concerning prescribing patterns, raising ‘red flags’ and showing that ‘some practitioners are not meeting their professional obligations’.

The study found that only eight doctors had written more than 10,000 prescriptions in a period of six months, with one prescriber issuing over 17,000 alone.

AHPRA responded by publishing new guidelines for the medical marijuana sector and warning that they will prosecute anyone who does not follow these rules.

AHPRA is currently investigating 60 healthcare professionals and has taken action on 57.

Clinics must comply with the new AHPRA guidelines.

• You can treat medicinal cannabis the same way you would any other substance of abuse (e.g. opioids)

• Do not prescribe as a first-line therapy, but only when clinically indicated.

• Assess the patient thoroughly, develop a plan of treatment and a strategy for exiting.

• Reflect clinical need, not patient demand

• The models built around the single-medicine prescription are currently being reviewed

• There will likely be future restrictions on the direct prescribing of products by their sponsors

• The following are unacceptable practices:

The cannabis telemedicine industry, namely the flood of online healthcare businesses offering prescriptions virtually across global medical cannabis markets, has provided the greatest boom to the industry since the ‘green rush’ of 2018 in recent years.

Now however, government and medical association are taking collective steps to combat this rapid expansion. This could result in some of the most rapidly growing markets around the globe being severely restricted.

The German Ministry of Health published the long-awaited draft of its Medical Cannabis Act, (MedCanG), threatening to crack down on cannabis companies both inside and outside of German border.

In parallel, the thriving Australian market is also enduring a widespread crackdown after the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) issued new guidance, specifically targeting ‘direct-to-consumer, single-issue telehealth models’.

Germany

New figures from May showed the German medical cannabis market continued its meteoric growth, with a 15% increase over Q4, 2020 in the first three months of 2025. This totaled 37,223kg.

In the wake of these dizzying growth statistics, the newly sworn in Federal Minister of Health, Nina Warken (CDU) seized the initiative and told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) that she wants to ‘restrict the easily accessible online prescriptions’.

This has been the talking point for the CDU, a party that is anti-cannabis. However, the recent success of their election, which saw them becoming the largest party (although not big enough to form an independent government), indicated that the rhetoric might soon be translated into real policy.

The German Federal Ministry of Health has confirmed this fear by publishing an amendment that targets the loosely-regulated German telemedicine industry.

You can download the full version here. https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/fileadmin/Dateien/3_Downloads/Gesetze_und_Verordnungen/GuV/C/RefE_AEndG_MedCanG.pdf

According to the ministry, the imports for medical cannabis flowers increased 170% in the second half of the year 2024 compared with the first.

The report suggests that many products reach patients by way of private prescriptions. These are often made through online platforms without in-person examinations. This trend, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, undermines patient security because cannabis flowers have addictive potential as well as cognitive health risks.

The MedCanG Act is being amended to reflect the changes proposed by the MedCanG:

Consultations in person are now required

• A face-toface consultation is required before prescribing cannabis flowers (either in a clinic or at home).

• Online prescriptions for follow-ups will be permitted, but only after a consultation in person has occurred within the last 12 months.

The ban on mail-order dispensing

• The direct delivery of cannabis flower to patients is no longer allowed

• In-person consultations require patients to provide a medical history and a physical evaluation, as well as their consent for medical cannabis flower treatment.

• The pharmacy must collect prescriptions in person.

• The purpose of this document is to provide proper information on the use, storage, side effects and handling of pharmaceuticals.

Non-Compliance with the Law can result in legal penalties

The bill must now be approved by the Federal Cabinet, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and including ministers from the CDU/CSU–SPD coalition.

The SPD was the architect of the bill and it’s unclear if they will vote for the draft in its current form.

Australia 

The following is a list of Prohibition Partners Global Cannabis Report 5th Edition: Australia’s Medical Cannabis Revenues are forecast to increase from US$600m by 2024 to US$1.2bn.

Comparatively, the value of medical cannabis in Europe is projected to reach US$2.2 billion (US$1.2bn by 2028), and Germany alone accounts for US$1.2bn.

The Australian authorities are also concerned about the potential abuse and lack of supervision of the telehealth model. This is due to the fact that the growth rate of the German market has been surpassed by similar rates in Australia, driven by an explosion of services.

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, (AHPRA), established a Rapid Regulatory Response Unit, (RRRU) in September 2024. Its mission is to investigate rapidly evolving healthcare models including online prescriptions.

The strategy dramatically changed, as it shifted from focusing solely on the individual practitioner to also addressing systemic issues within its existing framework.

Earlier this month, new prescribing data gathered by the regulator uncovered what it called concerning prescribing patterns, raising ‘red flags’ and showing that ‘some practitioners are not meeting their professional obligations’.

It was found that eight physicians had written over 10,000 prescriptions during a 6-month period. One prescriber wrote over 17,000 of them.

AHPRA responded by publishing new guidelines for the medical marijuana sector and warning that they will prosecute anyone who does not follow these rules.

AHPRA already took action against 57 health practitioners and is currently investigating another 60.

Clinics must comply with the new AHPRA guidelines.

• You can treat medicinal cannabis the same way you would any other substance of abuse (e.g. opioids)

• Do not prescribe as a first-line therapy, but only when clinically indicated.

• Assess the patient thoroughly, develop a plan of treatment and a strategy for exiting.

• Reflect clinical need, not patient demand

• The models built around the single-medication prescribing model are currently being reviewed

• There will likely be future restrictions on the direct prescribing of products by their sponsors

• The following are unacceptable practices:

Cannabis Law Resources for Poland

Discover essential legal information about the cultivation of cannabis, its sale, and regulations governing medical products in Poland. You can use these resources to learn about the requirements for certification, permission, and compliance.

• 
  Polish News Registration and Interests of Cannabis Businesses
  
• 
  Permissions for Cannabis Sales in Poland
  
• 
  Authorization for Importing or Manufacturing Medical Products
  
• 
  Permission for Manufacturing or Importing Medical Products
  
• 
  Certificate of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
  
• 
  Registration of Medical Products in Poland