Germany’s medical cannabis market is seeing unprecedented growth, with company executives across the pond reporting sales increases of up to 450% since recent reforms. However questions have arisen about the future of the market as a new conservative government prepares to take power.

“The market is on a constant growth that is overwhelming,” said Constantin von der Groeben, founder of German cultivator Demecan, during a roundtable with Pablo Zuanic of Zuanic & Associates on cannabis market growth in the country following recent national elections. “We Germans, we tend to be very careful people. We are always ready for failure. We should now be ready for success.”

Despite that growth, von der Groeben acknowledged the continued dominance of imports: “I think it’s still 80% imports and only 20% domestically cultivated. If I can only cultivate 4.2 tonnes (4.6 tons), that means over two-thirds I still have to import.”

Germany imported 70 tonnes of medical cannabis in 2024, more than double the 32 tonnes imported in 2023, according to recent figures from Germany’s Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, first reported by Cannabis Business Times. The final quarter alone saw imports of 31,691 kilograms, a 53% increase from the previous quarter.

When discussing the quality of imports, von der Groeben noted: “In Canada you can get everything. You can get value product, very good price, you can get the premium craft. So I’d always first turn to Canada, but other countries are definitely evolving. I haven’t seen this super great craft product coming out of Portugal or South Africa or Colombia yet, but it’s definitely going to happen at some point.”

Stefan Fritsch, CEO of Grünhorn Group, which operates an online pharmacy and wholesale businesses, said his pharmacy experienced nearly 100% growth while his wholesale division saw 450% sales growth.

Medical cannabis prescriptions have been fueled by the ease of telehealth, with Fritsch estimating “60% teleclinics, 40% doctors in practices.”

When the regulations suddenly changed last April, he said, “I was with my family and my IT team called me on Easter … and they were like, ‘We don’t know what to do. We have 2,000 orders that came out of nowhere.’”

Now a year later, the industry is moving past simply selling high-THC products.

“When 12 months ago potency was the only king, I think we have become a bit more diversified and people are looking at more than just the potency claims,” Mielcarek said, though von der Groeben countered that high-THC varieties still dominate sales.

Still, prices are beginning to soften as the market matures, with Fritsch noting the rise of “price comparison sites” and a new “ultra-cheap segment” that didn’t exist before legalization.

Additionally, as the Christian Democratic Union’s signals its intent to roll back cannabis reforms, industry leaders felt confident the medical market will remain largely protected from political whims.

“Maybe even the opposite,” Sascha Mielcarek, CEO of Canify AG, which operates a GMP-certified manufacturing facility, claimed. “It was the Christian Democrats who actually started the medicine cannabis market. There’s even voices out of the Christian Democrats which are more progressive when it comes to medicinal regulations.”

He added, “If you were to be invested into pillar two (adult-use/recreational cannabis), that might be a bit more of a concern. But again, we haven’t heard anything right now. The not-even-in-charge government will have more severe things to tackle than drawing back any regulations around cannabis. Not concerned at all around medical cannabis; not knowing any details around eventual repercussions on clubs on pillar two. But anyway, we were never meant to invest into that area. So, we feel more tailwind than any.”

Mielcarek reported his company has expanded its supply network to “25 suppliers out of five continents” to meet surging demand.

All three executives said they’re prepped for continued expansion rather than political setbacks. When asked by Zuanic if they were making changes due to the election results, each responded with variations of “no changes at all” or “no dramatic changes.”

With current growth trends, von der Groeben projects the German market could reach approximately 100 tonnes next year, making it one of Europe’s largest medical cannabis markets, though still far behind individual U.S. states like even Florida, which has just a quarter of Germany’s population but significantly higher cannabis consumption.

High Tide Inc. (Nasdaq: HITI) (TSXV: HITI) halted its planned acquisition of German cannabis company Purecan GmbH, the Canadian retailer announced Tuesday, just weeks after initially unveiling the deal.

The company is now looking at different ways to enter the German medical cannabis market after reconsidering the deal structure during its due diligence process.

“During ongoing due diligence, the Company reassessed the optimal structure for this transaction and is now exploring alternative arrangements with Purecan to allow High Tide to maintain its planned commercial exposure into the German market,” High Tide said in a news release.

The company had announced last month that it would acquire a 51% stake in Purecan for approximately €4.8 million. The original deal included €2.4 million in High Tide common shares, €1.2 million in cash, and a €1.2 million promissory note.

High Tide didn’t say exactly why it paused the acquisition but emphasized it remains committed to entering the German market.

“There is no certainty that an alternative arrangement with Purecan will proceed. High Tide will update the market as required. The Company continues to be committed to the German medical cannabis market and will explore both alternative structures with Purecan and other opportunities for entry into Germany,” according to the release.

High Tide operates 192 Canna Cabana retail stores across Canada and ranks as the second-largest cannabis retailer globally by store count, according to ATB Capital Markets data cited in the release.

CEO Raj Grover has touted in recent months the company’s disciplined expansion approach in Canada, where it opened 30 new stores during fiscal 2024, bringing its retail footprint to 191 dispensaries. The company expects to open 20-30 additional locations in 2025.

Despite posting a C$3.8 million loss for fiscal year 2024, the company’s reported six consecutive quarters of positive free cash flow and recorded C$522.3 million in annual revenue.

Spring and summer are just around the corner—and so are the best times to buy your tickets to escape the US for a bit. But where in the world should a stoner go?

The answer: Barcelona, Spain; Berlin, Germany; Bangkok, Thailand, venerable Amsterdam, and even Slovenia, or Prague.

International Cannabis Business Conference director Alex Rogers runs down the latest weed travel news with Leafly Senior editor David Downs in this video below. The surprise star of 2025 is once-restrictive Germany, he said.

Spark one in Berlin

Rogers produces canna-biz conferences in Barcelona March 13, and Berlin April 29 and 30th. https://www.leafly.com/news/lifestyle/best-weed-friendly-travel-2025 He said Berlin now has smoking spots like Barcelona.

“I know a lot of people that are making social lounges in Berlin—party spots where people come and it’s just a weed party. You smoke your weed and have no problems at all,” he said. “So, it feels very accessible in Berlin. It already did. And now it feels like it’s just completely all out, 100% fully legalized.”

Blaze in Barcelona

Barcelona remains epic—just watch out for police in public.

“Barcelona has some great weed. I ain’t gonna lie. Or the hash, it’s all absolutely magical.”

However, “You definitely don’t want to be smoking weed on the street when the cops are around.”

See Slovenia

Rogers says: “It is an extremely open city for cannabis. So Prague’s wide open, too.”

“It’s very progressive for weed in general in the Czech Republic.”

Rogers recommends early to late spring or early fall for the optimal European trip mixing fair weather and fewer crowds.

Roll up in Thailand

Despite some murmurs of walking back cannabis reform in Thailand, the country appears to be welcoming once again this year.

“There’s shops everywhere with THC cannabis. And so I think things are wide open again in Thailand. And the weather’s nice.”

Where in the world do you want to blaze in 2025? Leave a comment below.