The president of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, has voiced support for plans by Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) to restrict the prescription of medicinal cannabis, while simultaneously advocating for more extensive measures.
Warken’s proposal, which mandates a personal physician consultation before medicinal cannabis can be prescribed, is considered “imperative” from a medical perspective, Reinhardt told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland network. He stressed that the psychoactive effects of cannabis, the potential for misuse and dependency and the absence of specific medical approvals necessitate individual, careful patient education and support – a process best achieved through face-to-face consultation.
However, Reinhardt urged the governing coalition to reconsider the current classification of medicinal cannabis, advocating for its reinstatement as a controlled substance. He argued this is “essential” to enhance therapeutic safety and effectively prevent misuse, particularly concerning remote prescriptions. The decision to remove medicinal cannabis from the controlled substances act, implemented in April 2024 alongside broader cannabis legalization, has been described as an error, according to the Medical Association President. This change would allow for stricter regulations mirroring those applied to other controlled medications.