Germany’s Medical Cannabis Market Shifts Towards Cheap, High-THC Products
A recent study has revealed a significant shift in Germany’s medical cannabis market, with consumers increasingly opting for cheaper, high-potency products. The study, published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, analyzed sales data from a German online medical cannabis dispensary and found that prices dropped sharply, while consumer demand shifted towards cannabis with 20-29.9% THC.
The study’s authors attribute this trend to the 2024 cannabis reform, which expanded access to medical cannabis and simplified prescriptions. The reform also led to the rise of telemedicine services and online dispensaries, offering fast home delivery and creating one of Europe’s most liberal medical cannabis markets.
However, the researchers question whether this trend is truly serving medical needs or encouraging recreational use. High-potency cannabis products lack extensive proven benefits and pose risks, and the study suggests that a substantial share of the rising demand is attributable to non-medical use of cannabis.
The study tracked sales data from a single German online medical cannabis dispensary between December 2024 and November 2025 and found that the number of cannabis products for sale rose from 266 to 401, with THC levels increasing from about 23% to 26%, while prices dropped sharply. The median price per gram fell 31%, from €8.64 ($9.82) to €5.95 ($6.76), and the cost per 10 mg of THC fell 36%, from €0.37 ($0.42) to €0.23 ($0.26).
The researchers noted that consumers increasingly looked for cheap products with higher THC levels, with cannabis flower containing 20-29.9% THC making up more than two-thirds of sales. Lower-potency products with less than 15% THC attracted little interest.
The study’s authors argue that these findings show a highly dynamic, competitive market shaped more by commercial forces than by clinical need. They suggest that the availability and demand of high-potency cannabis flower are not consistent with available evidence for cannabis being a remedy for health problems, which is confined to a few indications, such as non-cancer pain, spasticity, or chemotherapy-induced nausea.
The German government is proposing stricter medical cannabis rules that would require in-person doctor visits for cannabis flower prescriptions and pharmacy pickups. The country’s medical cannabis market is the largest in Europe, with an estimated value of nearly $997 million in 2025.
