Medical Cannabis as "Digital Medicine" - The Pros and Cons of the Rapidly Growing German Market

The business surrounding medical cannabis is reaching a significant turning point.

In the past, the cannabis-related industry primarily focused on production companies with cultivation facilities and trading companies importing products from overseas. However, in the current German market, a different group of companies is gaining prominence.

These are "telemedicine companies" that connect patients and doctors online, digitizing everything from consultations to prescriptions and coordination with pharmacies.

It's not the medical cannabis itself that has changed. What has significantly transformed is the pathway patients take to receive treatment.

Patients input their symptoms and medical history via smartphone and receive a consultation from a doctor. If it's deemed medically appropriate, electronic prescription information is sent to a pharmacy, and the patient receives their medication.

As this system becomes widespread, medical cannabis is beginning to shift from being a "special treatment" to a segment of digital medical services.

The Rapid Expansion of Germany's Medical Cannabis Market

In Germany, the system for using medical cannabis was fully implemented in 2017, and since then, the market has continued to expand.

A significant turning point was the legal reform in 2024.

As the regulatory environment surrounding medical cannabis changed, not only did patient access improve, but corporate entry and the development of online services also became more active.

Industry reports indicate that Germany's cannabis-related industry has already reached a significant economic scale, with medical use forming a major market segment.

On the other hand, the government has focused heavily on the rapid increase in import volumes.

According to the German Federal Ministry of Health, the import volume of medical cannabis reached about 80 tons in the first half of 2025, a more than 400% increase from approximately 19 tons in the same period the previous year.

These figures indicate a rapidly expanding demand, but the government does not view this as simple market growth.

The fact that prescriptions through public health insurance only increased by single digits has heightened concerns that the ease of obtaining prescriptions online might be contributing to the increase in imports.

In other words, the rapid market growth itself is leading to current arguments for stricter regulations.

Telemedicine Solves the "Distance to Specialists" Issue

So why is the compatibility between medical cannabis and telemedicine so good?

One reason is access to doctors.

Even if patients want to consult about medical cannabis for chronic pain or other symptoms, not every neighborhood has a doctor with sufficient knowledge.

In rural areas, there may be few medical facilities. In urban areas, appointments with specialists can take time.

Regular visits can be a physical burden for some patients.

With telemedicine, patients can consult with doctors from home.

If operated appropriately, this can be more than just a "convenient online service"; it can be a mechanism to reduce disparities in access to healthcare.

Especially for chronic conditions, it's not just about prescribing medication once and being done.

It's necessary to continuously monitor effects, side effects, dosages, and interactions with other medications.

In this sense, the true value of medical cannabis and online consultations is not in "easily obtaining prescriptions."

It's in the ability to maintain the patient-doctor relationship without being bound by location.

Companies Aim for a Huge Platform, Not Just "Prescriptions"

From an investment and business perspective, telemedicine is attractive due to its high scalability.

In traditional clinics, the number of examination rooms, doctors, nurses, and reception staff determines how many patients can be seen in a day.

With online services, expanding the doctor network and IT systems allows for accepting patients from a wider area.

Moreover, in medical cannabis, services do not end with the doctor.

Pharmacies are necessary.

Therefore, strong companies in the future are likely to form platforms that integrate not just online consultations, but also doctors, patients, pharmacies, electronic prescriptions, inventory management, payment, and delivery or pickup.

As the number of patients increases, more pharmacies will participate.

As participating pharmacies increase, options for inventory and pricing expand.

If the service becomes more convenient, even more patients will join.

If such network effects can be formed, it becomes a significant barrier for new entrants.

This is why the medical cannabis market is shifting from an agriculture and pharmaceutical-centered industry to a "digital medical platform industry."

Surprise on Social Media: "Received Confirmation in 6 Minutes"

What exactly are patients appreciating?

One insight can be gained from the social media community of medical cannabis users in Germany.

In 2026, a post was shared in a Reddit community related to medical cannabis and pharmacies, stating, "It took 6 minutes from prescription request to pharmacy pickup confirmation."

Comments also mentioned experiences in Berlin where the process was completed in a short time, with some receiving their medication about 15 minutes after registration.

This is a case that symbolizes the speed enabled by digitalization.

Previously, patients had to find a doctor, make an appointment, get a consultation, receive a prescription, find a pharmacy, and check inventory.

Doing each of these separately could take days to weeks.

Connecting online consultations with pharmacy systems dramatically shortens this time.

For patients with chronic symptoms, such convenience is not insignificant.

Contrasting Experiences Also Emerge on the Same Social Media

Interestingly, the same post's comments also feature completely different experiences.

Some reported that it took 3-5 days at certain pharmacies, or that there was no progress for nearly 72 hours, along with complaints about delivery and support.

In other words, even if telemedicine itself is fast, if pharmacies or logistics don't keep up, the patient experience is incomplete.

This point is very important when considering future corporate competition.

Even if a consultation takes 10 minutes, if it takes 5 days for the medication to arrive, the overall service evaluation from the patient's perspective will decline.

Conversely, if online consultations, electronic prescriptions, inventory checks, pharmacy dispensing, and pickup can be managed as a single service, patient convenience will greatly increase.

What truly adds value in the medical cannabis market is not online consultations alone, but the "entire experience from consultation to receiving medication."

Questions Arise About Being "Too Convenient"

On the other hand, not all reactions on social media welcome the speed.

There are skeptical responses questioning whether "sufficient medical examination is really being conducted" when the process from prescription to pharmacy coordination advances in just a few minutes.

Indeed, online, there are exchanges where first-time patients ask how easily they can get a prescription, with differing opinions among users about the rigor of consultations.

This issue is one of the main reasons the German government is currently reviewing regulations.

Telemedicine can make healthcare more convenient.

However, "convenience" and "skipping consultations" are not the same.

If doctors do not adequately review a patient's medical history or symptoms and prescriptions are made solely through input forms, that is not digitalization of healthcare but merely a simplification of the prescription process.

There is a significant difference here.

The Government Emphasizes "In-Person Consultations"

In October 2025, the German government approved a draft amendment to the medical cannabis law.

The government proposal indicates a direction where, in principle, patients and doctors must meet directly when prescribing medical cannabis flowers.

For ongoing prescriptions, the system envisions using telemedicine for prescriptions during intervals, provided direct consultations are conducted periodically.

Additionally, the government proposal emphasizes in-person consultations at pharmacies, limiting the delivery sales of medical cannabis.

The government's logic is clear.

Medical cannabis is not an ordinary product but a pharmaceutical requiring a doctor's prescription.

Therefore, doctors and pharmacists need to thoroughly explain the risks of dependency, effects on the body and mind, and interactions with other medications.

However, there is strong opposition from the industry to this direction.

Industry's Counterargument: Worsening Patient Access

Industry associations related to medical cannabis argue that broadly restricting telemedicine and delivery would disadvantage patients who genuinely need treatment.

Especially for those living in rural areas, patients with physical difficulties in moving, and patients in regions with few specialists, online consultations are a crucial gateway to healthcare.

The pharmacy industry has also proposed alternatives that differ from a complete either-or choice.

For example, requiring direct video consultations with doctors for initial prescriptions while utilizing telemedicine to maintain medical quality.

This is a very important point.

The issue is not whether to allow or ban online consultations.

It is a matter of quality standards, determining what level of consultation must be met for online healthcare to be recognized.

Diverging Opinions Between the Medical and Cannabis Industries

In January 2026, an expert hearing on the medical cannabis law amendment was held by the Health Committee of the German Federal Parliament.

The discussions included medical opinions acknowledging the need for stricter regulations, while also expressing concerns that the amendment might make it harder for patients to receive necessary treatment.

The cannabis-related industry opposes excessive regulation, arguing it worsens patient access.

The medical side is not entirely unified either.

While caution is advised against systems that allow unlimited online prescriptions, denying telemedicine itself could reverse the progress of digital healthcare.

How to balance medical quality and access.

This issue is a common theme not only for medical cannabis but for online consultations as a whole.

Stricter Regulations May Not Mean the End for Telemedicine Companies

For investors, a key concern is whether the telemedicine market will shrink if regulations become stricter.

In the short term, there could be headwinds.

Especially for services that have competed on extreme convenience, like "within a few minutes" or "just form input," there will be a need to reassess business models.

However, different developments are conceivable in the medium to long term.

If regulations become stricter, more advanced systems will be needed for doctor verification, patient medical records, medical data management, regular consultations, side effect management, and pharmacy coordination.

Establishing these requires funding and technological capabilities.

While it may be a burden for small businesses, it becomes a barrier to entry for companies with large doctor networks and IT infrastructure.

Similar to banking, insurance, and payment services, "being able to comply with regulations" itself could become a competitive advantage.

The Winner Won't Be Determined by "Prescription Speed"

In the future medical cannabis telemedicine market, merely competing on the ability to prescribe within minutes is unlikely to provide long-term advantages.

What will be crucial is a system that allows patients to continue treatment with peace of mind.

Receiving consultations from appropriate doctors.

Continuously managing past medical information.

Being able to discuss side effects and changes in symptoms.

Finding pharmacies that have the necessary products.

Knowing prices and inventory.

And being able to adapt services even when legal frameworks change.

Companies that integrate these functions are likely to capture a significant market share.

In other words, the competitive axis of the medical cannabis business is shifting from "who can produce cannabis" to "who can build relationships with patients."

The Wave of Digital Competition Reaches Pharmacies

The growth of the telemedicine market is bringing significant changes to pharmacies.

On social media, patients share information about which pharmacies are faster, which ones accommodate pickups, and the condition of products.

Traditional pharmacies operated as community-based businesses used because they were "nearby."

However, with medical cannabis, patients are now comparing pharmacies via the internet.

As response speed, inventory, price, and service quality become visible, competition among pharmacies intensifies.

Conversely, for pharmacies that can adapt to digitalization, it presents an opportunity to significantly expand their market area.

In the future, partnerships between telemedicine platforms and pharmacies will become increasingly important.

Medical Cannabis Transitions from "Cannabis Industry" to "Health Tech Industry"

When considering the future of this market,