Most Germans are consuming cannabis for health reasons

A brand new survey following the landmark regulation change in Germany has revealed that almost all of individuals consuming hashish are doing so for well being points.

Frankfurt- based mostly medical hashish firm Bloomwell GmbH performed a representative survey exploring the the reason why Germans use hashish following the change in laws in April 2024.

The survey was performed amongst a consultant panel of three,092 individuals based mostly in Germany, aged 18 and over, in August 2024. Over 1,000 individuals stated they’d consumed hashish no less than as soon as within the final 12 months or taken it medicinally as a affected person. 

In keeping with the outcomes, 94% reported they eat hashish for no less than one medical or well being cause.

The most typical health-related points shoppers reported they use hashish for have been to assist with sleeping problems (50%) and stress aid (nearly 60%), adopted by ache aid (35%).

Nonetheless, solely 10% of the survey members acquired hashish completely from a licensed pharmacy, throughout the previous 12 months.  

“There’s clearly a robust and rising demand for hashish to deal with frequent well being illnesses, however extra consciousness and training is required to tell potential sufferers that they will now receive medical hashish safely and with the identical ease as different Rx prescriptions by way of specialised telemedicine providers,” says Dr Julian Wichmann, Co-Founding father of Bloomwell Group.

Surge in medical market demand, however docs would profit from extra training 

For the reason that introduction of the CanG Act in April, which noticed hashish faraway from the listing of narcotics, the variety of sufferers accessing medical hashish prescriptions is believed to have risen considerably.

Talking at a convention in June 2024, Finn Age Hänsel, Founder and CEO, of medical hashish firm, Sanity Group, reported a ‘70% leap in market demand’.

Proposals by the G-BA and authorized by the Ministry of Well being, are additionally anticipated to make it simpler for extra docs to prescribe with out prior approval from statutory medical health insurance firms.

Nonetheless, the information additionally indicated that docs might profit from extra training on medical hashish therapy.

One in 5 of these surveyed stated that they’d already spoken to a health care provider about medical hashish, however weren’t prescribed medical hashish.

Solely 9% of these surveyed had ‘no points’ discovering a health care provider who may competently assist them of their remedy with medical hashish.

“These findings underscore the necessity for medical hashish to be handled on an equal footing as different fashionable medical therapies. Nonetheless, for too many docs in Germany, medical hashish continues to be a taboo topic,” added Dr Wichmann. 

“Schooling in hashish medical therapy is required, not only for sufferers, but in addition for medical professionals so as to normalise use and dispel outdated stigmas. From a authorized perspective, medical hashish is now equal to different prescription medicines equivalent to ache relievers, sleep aids and antidepressants, however we’ve discovered that it’s typically nonetheless handled in a different way by the medical neighborhood. 

“Medical hashish has nice and confirmed potential to assist present aid to sufferers with a variety of circumstances, together with frequent points like stress and sleep problems; each are widespread circumstances in Germany which might be typically missed for medical therapy or handled insufficiently.”

‘Patrons regret’ from the unlawful market 

The report additionally revealed that many shoppers who had bought hashish from unlicensed sellers had “purchaser’s regret” and have been scared of the unfavorable uncomfortable side effects.

Over a 3rd reported buying hashish that was of poor high quality and are afraid that illegally acquired hashish can have a unfavorable influence on their well being. Greater than 1 / 4 believed they’ve already bought contaminated hashish.

Since July, hashish social golf equipment have been in a position to apply for licences, however in response to reports, significant progress on this entrance stays sluggish and hampered by hurdles.

“In keeping with the info from our survey, greater than 20 million individuals in Germany may gain advantage from entry to medical hashish remedy,” stated Niklas Kouparanis, Co-Founder and CEO, Bloomwell Group GmbH, the holding firm for Bloomwell Gmbh, which operates a digital medical hashish platform and app.

“The responses illustrate the immense potential and room for progress of the nation’s quickly increasing medical hashish business following the implementation of the Hashish Act (CanG) on April 1, 2024, which rescheduled hashish as a non-narcotic.”

Kouparanis added: “Our intention is to achieve the quickly rising variety of people who find themselves searching for out medical hashish and make them conscious that there are licensed and handy telemedicine providers offering secure and dependable care from physicians and pharmacies. Sufferers not have to depend on the illicit market and likewise shouldn’t be pushed in that route.”