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LGP Centre for Cannabis Medicine
All doctors may prescribe cannabis-based medicines, such as cannabis flowers and cannabis extracts. Dentists and veterinarians, however, are excluded from this. Doctors who have not yet prescribed narcotics can request the corresponding prescription pads from the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices.
After your documents have been successfully submitted, you will receive feedback from us within 24 hours. The doctor assigned to you can ask any follow-up questions via the customer portal.
With the "Cannabis as Medicine" Act passed on 10 March 2017, the prescription of medical cannabis is legal. To obtain medical cannabis you need a so-called narcotics prescription (BtM prescription), which you can receive from a doctor if the requirements are met.
During the adjustment phase, cannabis patients must refrain entirely from operating motor vehicles and heavy machinery. The duration of this adjustment phase can vary considerably — from one week up to several weeks. Patients must strictly adhere to the dosage and form of administration prescribed by the doctor.
In addition, cannabis patients are advised to carry a copy of their narcotics prescription or a certificate from their doctor when driving a vehicle.
During the initial consultation, your doctor will explain what you should pay particular attention to.
The effect of cannabis-containing medicines depends primarily on the composition of the cannabinoids they contain. In total, more than 100 different cannabinoids with sometimes very different ranges of effect are already known. The cannabinoids predominantly found in the hemp plant are:
No, it is not. If the costs of the cannabis therapy are not covered by the health insurer, the prescription can be issued by the treating doctor on a private prescription. The costs of the cannabis therapy are then borne by the patient.
The decision regarding a cannabis therapy is therefore made solely by the treating doctor, independently of any possible reimbursement by the health insurer.
Medical cannabis has a very broad therapeutic spectrum.
It is frequently used in the treatment of pain, sleep problems, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, as well as for spasticity and cancer-related pain.
There are also increasingly positive therapeutic outcomes for neurological conditions (epilepsy, Parkinson's, MS) as well as mental health conditions (PTSD, depression and anxiety disorders).
Cannabis flowers should be stored child-safe, airtight and protected from light at a room temperature of up to 25°C. Cannabis flowers do not need to be kept in the refrigerator!
In Germany, patients have the right to freely choose their pharmacy. In principle, you can take your prescription to any pharmacy, and the pharmacy is also obliged to order the medical cannabis if necessary. However, it is advisable to use pharmacies specialised in medical cannabis, often online pharmacies. Here you receive your medicine conveniently delivered to your home by post.
There are standardised rules for carrying narcotics while travelling, although these differ depending on the destination. Travelling with medical cannabis is generally possible, as with other narcotics. Patients may import and export the narcotics prescribed to them in an appropriate quantity as travel supplies for the duration of the trip, but for a maximum of 30 days. For citizens from the contracting states of the Schengen Agreement, taking the medicine along when travelling can be done relatively easily. For this, the patient must carry the certificate completed by the doctor in accordance with Article 75 of the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement.
The Schengen countries include:
Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic and Hungary.
The following European countries are not part of the Schengen area, so the implementing agreement does not apply here:
Romania, Croatia, Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Cyprus.
In general, cannabinoids are well tolerated, including over the long term. If the therapy is started in small steps ("start low – go slow") and contraindications are observed, no significant side effects are to be expected at the outset either.
Nevertheless, side effects can also occur during cannabis therapy.
The most commonly reported side effects are:
First of all, the patient should be sure to stay calm. The unpleasant side effects described above do not lead to medical emergencies. The duration of effect is 2 to 3 hours with inhalation and 4 to 8 hours with oral administration. A medically critical dose lies at more than 500g of medical cannabis. The dose for the next use of medical cannabis should be reduced by approximately 50mg. It is also advisable to discuss how to proceed with the treating doctor.
A distinction is made here between absolute/strict and relative contraindications.
Absolute contraindications include, in particular, psychoses, pregnancy and breastfeeding. Severe cardiovascular diseases (especially in older patients) are also among them. Cannabis is likewise contraindicated in the case of a known hypersensitivity to cannabinoids.
A relative contraindication exists in the case of addictive disorders (current or in the patient's history) and in children and adolescents. Prescription in exceptional cases requires particular experience on the part of the doctor and close monitoring in a particularly severe course of illness.
Of course, there are other exceptional cases (palliative situations) which, even in the presence of absolute and relative contraindications, must be assessed individually each time.
In principle, this is possible. However, we advise against simultaneous inhaled (via vaporiser) and oral administration, as this makes precise dosing considerably more difficult.
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