The European medical hashish market is predicted to greater than double in dimension over the following few years, seeing its worth bounce from €1.12bn in 2025 to round €2.9bn by 2029, in keeping with Prohibition Companions’ upcoming European Hashish Report.
Whereas this progress might be unfold throughout the continent, Germany and the UK are projected to retain their respective positions as the primary and second largest European medical hashish markets.
As Enterprise of Hashish mentioned final week, though these are each thought of ‘free markets’ attributable to their low obstacles of entry for companies, they differ tremendously in each dimension, regulation, and demographic.
With Germany not too long ago making some foundational modifications to its medical hashish framework, serving to develop entry considerably and driving a surge in affected person numbers, we spoke to main UK-based clinic Releaf to know what structural, cultural, and scientific classes the UK can study from Germany’s success.
Bold coverage
Essentially the most impactful and significant change would, in fact, be top-down, however coverage change should go properly past merely eradicating pink tape, searching for to normalise and destigmatise medical hashish by way of sensible policymaking.
In April 2024, Germany’s Hashish Act (CanG) formally got here into drive, with it seeing hashish faraway from the record of narcotics totally, not simply clearing obstacles for prescribers, however clearly signalling an acceptance of hashish’ medical purposes.
Months later, in October, additional modifications got here into drive making massively streamlining prescription through the nation’s ubiquitous statutory medical health insurance, which means the trail to having remedy reimbursed turned far simpler for sufferers, additional cementing the popularity of hashish as a medication.
Based on Releaf’s CEO, Tim Kirby, legitimising medical hashish is a vital lesson for the UK.
“The largest lesson the UK can take from Germany is how sufferers profit when medical hashish is handled as a legit a part of mainstream healthcare,” he defined.
“By embedding hashish into its well being system early, with correct entry, insurance coverage protection and robust scientific governance, Germany gave sufferers extra dependable, stigma-free remedy choices.
“At Releaf, we imagine sufferers within the UK deserve the identical: secure, regulated entry backed by evidence-based prescribing and excessive scientific requirements. That is how we normalise hashish remedy for individuals who might genuinely profit.”
Working to alleviate the stigma would take away one of many key points stopping extra sufferers from exploring hashish remedy, however bottlenecks stay because of the scarcity of prescribing medical professionals within the UK.
In October’s overhaul of the prescription course of, Germany additionally gave round 70% of German practising physicians the ability to prescribe reimbursed medical hashish with out prior approval.
Kirby continued: “Essentially the most impactful motion policymakers might take is to simplify and standardise how medical hashish is prescribed, for the advantage of sufferers.
“Proper now, too many individuals face delays or are denied entry as a result of the method is unclear or overly complicated. If we had a nationwide prescribing framework, underpinned by coaching and assist, extra clinicians would really feel assured recommending hashish the place acceptable.
“We see on daily basis how sufferers can thrive when the care pathway is obvious and accessible. That’s what coverage ought to be enabling.”
Schooling
Increasing the flexibility to prescribe is one factor, however guaranteeing clinicians perceive how and why medical hashish may be an efficient remedy is crucial.
Even within the early levels of its medical hashish scheme, Germany invested closely in formal coaching and prescriber assist, one thing that’s woefully missing within the UK’s medical trade.
“Clinician schooling is crucial if we’re critical about assembly affected person wants,” Kirby asserted.
“Even probably the most empathetic prescribers could hesitate with out the precise coaching, which dangers leaving sufferers with out entry to a probably life-changing remedy.
“That’s why Releaf invests closely in scientific schooling and ongoing skilled improvement, as a result of knowledgeable, assured clinicians make higher choices for his or her sufferers. Closing the schooling hole is essential to unlocking higher outcomes and extra constant care.”
One other key a part of encouraging docs to think about prescribing is belief, each within the remedy itself and within the wider trade as a complete.
Given the lingering stigma surrounding hashish, the truth is the trade should work twice as arduous to show its professionalism and legitimacy.
Talking passionately on the topic, Kirby suggests that is one thing the trade should work in direction of in unity.
“Belief is earned by persistently doing the precise factor for sufferers. Which means exhibiting, by way of our care, our scientific requirements, and our governance, that medical hashish is secure, science-led, and genuinely helps folks.
“At Releaf, we’re clear about how we deal with sufferers, we prioritise security and rights, and we work intently with regulators to take care of public confidence. To construct wider belief, the entire sector must open up: collaborate extra, talk higher, and focus relentlessly on what’s finest for sufferers.”
As such, Releaf hopes to be an ordinary bearer for the UK, aiming to show that the medical hashish trade can lead in affected person expertise, transparency, governance and security.
“These areas instantly have an effect on the standard of care folks obtain. As a CQC-regulated supplier with uninterrupted provide and proprietary HealthTech, we’re proving that high-quality, patient-first care isn’t simply aspirational, it’s accessible immediately.
“By elevating requirements now, we intention to enhance sufferers’ lives and assist form a healthcare system that features medical hashish as a trusted, mainstream choice.”
