Germany's medical cannabis boom: How it's transforming health care and raising legal debates
BERLIN, May 19 — At an undisclosed site in Germany's Bavaria state, pharmaceutical CEO Philip Schetter opens a 75-centimetre (30-inch) thick steel door that secures his wares: vast amounts of cannabis.
'Better safe than sorry,' he says during a visit to the compound run by Cantourage, a producer and distributor of cannabis-based medicinal products.
Marijuana has been partially legalised in Germany, but the firm fears its wares from as far as Jamaica, Uganda and New Zealand could make it an attractive target for criminals.
'We are committed to the highest safety standards—for our employees as well as for our products,' Schetter told AFP.
Inside the facility, staff wearing surgical gowns, hairnets and face masks were busy using small scissors to cut up dried cannabis flowers.
The brownish-green buds are used to relieve chronic pain and sleep disorders, treat certain forms of epilepsy and offer support for cancer, HIV and palliative care patients.
Medical cannabis has been a boon for the Berlin-based company whose website slogan says 'we love cannabis' and whose Frankfurt Stock Exchange ticker symbol is 'HIGH'.
Last year it booked revenue of 51.4 million euros, a 118 percent increase on 2023.
The company with 70 staff says it allows producers to enter the European medical cannabis market by processing and distributing their dried flowers and extracts.
Competitors include the Netherlands' Bedrocan and Canada's Aurora, which also grows cannabis.
In Germany, the pungent green plant has been available with a prescription since 2017.
One benefit of laboratory-tested and certified medical cannabis is clarity about its origin, processing path and active ingredient content, said Schetter.
'If I went to the black market, the choice would be rather limited and I would be given anything, without knowing what it contains,' he said. 'And often the product is contaminated. You may even doubt that it is cannabis.'
Frosted cookies
Cantourage markets its medicines in eye-catching ways, naming them after their cannabis strains.
Among its products are 'Frosted Cookies', 'Lemon Berry Candy' and 'Chemdawg', complete with colourful stickers that help build brand loyalty even if they do not appear on the packaging.
'Classical pharma firms do classical pharma marketing,' Schetter said. 'We're just young and creative,' he added, noting that the boundaries between recreational and medicinal drugs are sometimes 'blurred'.
'You can argue about when a product is recreational and when it is medicinal,' he said. 'Cannabis helps in the treatment of certain symptoms.'
Most European nations have legalised medicinal cannabis in some form, but Germany has more liberal rules than most.
The former centre-left government last year made it easier to get cannabis on prescription. It also legalised possession of up to 25 grams for personal, non-medical use and allowed households to grow up to three marijuana plants.
'The change in the law meant lots of people became aware for the first time that you can get cannabis from the chemist without being gravely ill,' Schetter said. 'That led to a surge in demand.'
Pharmacies filled over 1,000 percent more cannabis prescriptions in December 2024 than they did the previous March, before the law was loosened, according to Bloomwell, an online platform that puts patients in touch with doctors for cannabis treatment.
'Shame for country'
The legal change did not put everyone in high spirits, least of all Germany's conservative new Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who during the election campaign demanded the legalisation be reversed.
His ally, Bavarian premier Markus Soeder, last year charged that the loosening of the law was a 'shame for the country' and vowed his state would apply the law 'as strictly as possible'.
Since Merz agreed to share power with the centre-left Social Democrats, his coalition government has taken a softer line, pledging only an 'open-ended evaluation' of the issue.
Schetter said he was relaxed about the pending review, telling AFP that 'we're curious to see what comes out of this'.
He acknowledged that 'regulatory risk does come up as a topic from time to time' in his talks with investors.
But even a reversal of the latest change to the law should leave Cantourage's business model intact, Schetter said.
'We are a pharmaceutical company. We make medicines and deliver them to chemists.'
He even dared to dream that the review could go the other way, meaning 'further steps will be taken to turn partial legalisation into full legalisation'. — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Crosswords and Sudoku are not enough to keep your brain fit
Just doing sudoku or puzzles is very effective in keeping mentally fit as it only requires calling up information you already know. — Filepic Muscles need exercise to be strong. Your brain is no different – challenges sharpen its skills. So, to maintain mental fitness, it's important to continually take on new activities. This stimulates brain structures strongly subject to age-related processes and can help prevent dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Research Initiative (AFI), a Germany-based non-profit organisation. Taking up a new hobby, learning a foreign language or joining a local theatre group will therefore not only spice up your life, but also boost your brain. When we think of ways to train our mind, doing crosswords and Sudoku puzzles often come to mind. But they're not very effective, the AFI says, because they only require you to call up information you already know. Watching television isn't mentally demanding either. This can't be said, however, about reading, doing jigsaw puzzles or playing parlour games. Listening to music, making music and dancing to music also stimulates the brain. The AFI recommends that you not listen to the same songs over and over, but frequently change your personal playlist, giving your brain more variety. ALSO READ: Make music to keep the brain healthy Cultivating old friendships and building new ones not only pays emotional dividends, but mental ones too – social contact, conversing, and reading your interlocutor's facial expressions and body language all exercise your brain. ALSO READ: Be social for your brain (and ward off dementia) Breaking up routines is beneficial as well. 'When you take a walk, run errands or go on an excursion in your area, choose unfamiliar routes and destinations,' suggests Alexandra Borchard-Becker, a consultant with Germany's Consumer Initiative Association. Other things you can do for more variety include brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand or going to an unaccustomed shop or supermarket for your grocery shopping. – dpa
Malay Mail
11 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Global scrutiny grows as nations curb access to DeepSeek amid surveillance and misinformation concerns
LONDON, June 29 — Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which said in January it had developed an AI model to rival ChatGPT at much lower cost, has come under scrutiny in some countries for its security policies and privacy practices. According to its own privacy policy, DeepSeek stores numerous pieces of personal data, such as requests to its AI programme or uploaded files, on computers in China. Below are countries' actions regarding DeepSeek: Australia In early February, Australia banned DeepSeek from all government devices over concerns that it posed security risks. Germany Germany has asked Apple and Google to remove DeepSeek from their stores due to concerns about data safety, a data protection authority commissioner said in June. India India's finance ministry asked its employees at the beginning of February to avoid using AI tools including ChatGPT and DeepSeek for official purposes, citing risks posed to confidentiality of government documents and data. Italy Italy's antitrust watchdog AGCM said in mid-June that it had opened an investigation into DeepSeek for allegedly failing to warn users that it may produce false information. In January it blocked the app citing a lack of information on its use of personal data. Russia Russia's President Vladimir Putin in early February instructed Sberbank to collaborate with Chinese researchers on joint AI projects, a top executive at Russia's biggest bank told Reuters. South Korea's data protection authority said in mid-February that new downloads of the DeepSeek app had been suspended in the country after the startup acknowledged failing to take into account some of the agency's rules on protecting personal data. — Reuters pic South Korea South Korea's data protection authority said in mid-February that new downloads of the DeepSeek app had been suspended in the country after the startup acknowledged failing to take into account some of the agency's rules on protecting personal data. Earlier in February, the industry minister had temporarily blocked employee access to DeepSeek due to security concerns. The service became available again at the end of April. Taiwan Taiwan in February banned government departments from using DeepSeek's service as it saw it as a security risk. It also raised concerns about censorship on DeepSeek and the risk of data ending up in China. Netherlands The Netherlands' privacy watchdog at the end of January said it would launch an investigation into Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek's data collection practices and urged Dutch users to exercise caution with the company's software. The government has also banned civil servants from using the app, citing policy regarding countries with an offensive cyber programme, the government spokesperson said in late July. United States The Trump administration is weighing penalties that would block DeepSeek from buying US technology, and is debating barring Americans' access to its services, the New York Times reported in April. — Reuters
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Malay Mail
Europe's strategic reset: Turning Trump's return into opportunity, a 10 is still a 10? — Phar Kim Beng and Luthfy Hamzah
JUNE 27 — With the July 9 deadline for a breakthrough transatlantic trade deal fast approaching, quiet recalibrations are already underway in Brussels. Gone is the rigid insistence on securing zero-per cent tariffs with Washington across the board. Instead, European officials are now signalling that they may accept a 10 per cent baseline tariff as the new normal in their negotiations with a returning Trump administration. As President Emmanuel Macron affirmed: 'A ten is still a ten.' In other words, it is better to handle a US tariff of ten per cent by July 9, rather than butting head with the Trump is for a complete zero perfect tariff. For many in the European Commission and key member states like France and Germany, this shift represents a calculated retreat from idealism in favour of strategic realism, for now. The goal is no longer perfect parity—but preferential predictability. If a 10 per cent tariff averts a full-blown trade war and preserves access to American markets for the EU's high-end manufacturers, especially in autos, chemicals, and green tech, then it may be the best bargain they can extract under the circumstances. This thinking was encapsulated by Lithuania's President Gitanas Nausėda, who stated that the EU could at most 'hope to be treated like the United Kingdom.' In other words, a bespoke, asymmetrical arrangement with moderate trade-offs is now being viewed not as failure, but as strategic hedging in a world of fast-shifting economic power dynamics. Rather than viewing Donald J. Trump's potential return to the White House as a catastrophe for transatlantic relations, parts of the EU are beginning to see it as a moment to reset — and even reimagine — their strategic position. Trump may be erratic, but he is also transactional. That opens space for negotiated gains — if approached with agility, focus, and a clear-eyed view of global shifts. One such shift — arguably the most significant yet under-discussed — is the recent rare earth agreement between the United States and China. At first glance, it appears contradictory: after all, Washington and Beijing remain locked in a broader techno-strategic rivalry, complete with sanctions, export controls, and decoupling rhetoric. But the deal reveals something deeper about the evolving nature of power: even rivals must cooperate in critical sectors. The US-China rare earth deal: A strategic necessity Rare earth elements — 17 obscure minerals with names like neodymium, dysprosium, and terbium — are the backbone of modern technology, from smartphones to missiles, wind turbines to EV motors. For years, China has maintained a near-monopoly over their mining and processing, controlling over 69 per cent of global supply. This strategic dominance has long worried US officials, especially as green and defence technologies escalate in both importance and demand. Against this backdrop, the United States has moved to secure a limited but crucial agreement with China: Beijing will guarantee stable exports of rare earths and certain value-added materials to American industries under a supervised, traceable regime. In return, Washington has agreed to temporarily relax specific export restrictions on American advanced mining equipment and allow non-dual-use technology exchanges in the sector. This deal — quietly negotiated between mid-level envoys in Geneva and Singapore over the past six months — is not a truce in the broader US-China contest. Rather, it is a strategic compartmentalisation, allowing both powers to secure mutual interests in one domain while continuing to compete in others. For Europe, however, the implications are profound: the two superpowers are cutting deals without Brussels at the table — and over resources that will define the 21st century. Europe's critical crossroads This US-China rare earth accord exposes a structural weakness in the EU's global positioning. Despite years of talk about 'strategic autonomy,' the EU has yet to develop significant rare earth processing capacity. Projects in Sweden, Greenland, and France remain years from operational maturity. Meanwhile, the bloc's dependency on Chinese supply remains near-total. Even worse, the EU lacks a coherent common foreign economic policy to negotiate comparable bilateral deals. Its consensus-driven model, though admirable for democratic governance, often hinders agility in crisis response and strategic industrial decisions. President Nausėda's comment reflects an awareness that the EU must now negotiate from a position of limited leverage. Trump's transactionalism may, paradoxically, offer opportunity here. If Brussels can align its interests with Washington's emerging industrial policy — particularly around clean tech, AI, and semiconductors — it may yet secure sector-specific pacts even under a sceptical or abrasive administration. US President Donald Trump gestures during a press conference at a Nato summit in The Hague, Netherlands June 25, 2025. — Reuters pic A three-pronged reset for Europe To seize this opportunity, the EU must reframe Trump's potential presidency not as a threat but as a catalyst for strategic reset. This entails a three-pronged strategy: 1. Rebuild transatlantic trust through sectoral alignment: Europe should identify sectors where mutual interests with the US are strong and immediate — such as rare earths, hydrogen energy, and cyber defence — and offer co-investment frameworks. A Euro-American Innovation Corridor could be one such proposal, linking industrial clusters across both sides of the Atlantic. 2. Invest in rare earth autonomy, urgently: Brussels must expedite projects in Sweden and Greenland but also partner with African and South-east Asian countries rich in rare earth deposits. For example, with Malaysia already poised to position itself in rare earth processing in future, especially on non-radioactive separation technology with Japanese or Chinese assistance, the EU should offer co-financing, governance frameworks, and environmental best practices in Malaysia to create a non-China-aligned supply network. If EU wants to. Otherwise, EU would be lacking in any leverage with US and China separately. 3. Speak with one voice in trade negotiations: If individual member states — especially Germany and France — pursue bilateral deals with the US, the EU's collective weight will diminish. A unified negotiating front, supported by the European Commission and the European External Action Service, is critical to avoiding divide-and-rule outcomes under a Trump presidency. Trump's style, Europe's substance Unlike the Cold War era, today's great power competition isn't about ideology alone — it's about who controls the flows of technology, data, and critical materials. Trump's preference for deals over doctrines may clash with the EU's normative style but therein lies an opening. Europe must learn to translate its regulatory power into geo-economic leverage, and to do so swiftly. The EU can no longer afford to expect 'special relationship' privileges. It must earn them. This means real investments in defence (to answer Trump's Nato criticisms), real proposals on trade (to complement US nearshoring), and real partnerships with third countries (to diversify away from Chinese dependence). President Nausėda's statement should not be seen as defeatist, but as pragmatic. If Europe accepts the reality of Trump's worldview and responds with bold, flexible initiatives, it can avoid marginalisation. Strategic reset begins not in despair — but in clarity. Conclusion: Reset, not retreat The rare earth deal between the US and China shows that even amidst rivalry, room for cooperation exists — if interests align. For the EU, the lesson is clear: waiting for ideal conditions is no longer viable. It must act now to safeguard its industrial future, secure its place in the new trade order, and reimagine its transatlantic relationship — regardless of who sits in the Oval Office. Trump may not be the leader Europe wanted. But he may be the wake-up call it needs. *Phar Kim Beng is Professor of Asean Studies at the International Islamic University Malaysia. Director of Institute of Internationalisation and Asean Studies (IINTAS). Luthfy Hamzah is Senior Research Fellow at Strategic Pan Indo Pacific Arena (SPIPA) Kuala Lumpur. Both authors write on geopolitics, global trade, and strategic affairs in Asean, EU and US China dynamics. * This is the personal opinion of the writers or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
