By Niklas Kouparanis, Bloomwell Group CEO and Co-Founder
Germany’s cannabis industry is soaring to new heights under the passage of the landmark German Medical Cannabis Act (CanG). As of April 1, cannabis is now rescheduled as a non-narcotic. Such actions prompted immediate and significant growth in Germany’s medical cannabis market due to the expansion of patient access, ease of administrative burdens and
reinforcement of the country’s cannabis import industry.
CanG has kickstarted cannabis normalization in Europe. Yet, despite the domino effect, continuous progressive policy adjustments are dependent on the acceptance of cannabis at a societal level. For this reason, it’s important to recognize the stigmas and misconceptions around cannabis use, their impacts and how businesses can lead with innovation to improve
education and access.
Stigmas in Cannabis
Despite the progress made in the last few years in Europe and across the globe for cannabislegalization, decriminalization and clemency, outdated stigmas and stereotyping still echo in the voices of opposition.
Stigmas around cannabis use often include the belief that it leads to laziness, lack of motivation and cognitive impairment. Some believe that the use of the plant can be harmful, addictive or a gateway to other drug use. There is also a misconception that all cannabis and cannabis products produce the same effects.
Stigmas and myths are often used in places that have more punitive restrictions on the plant. According to a 2022 study published in the European Journal of Criminology, respondents from Greece, where penalties for cannabis use were the highest, reported the highest level of stigma. Whereas the Netherlands, which had the least punitive cannabis laws at the time, reported the least stigma.
Participants in the study reported experiencing stigma through the perception of negative stereotypes people hold about cannabis users. About one-half of those surveyed said that most people believed that cannabis users are unreliable, and about a quarter said most people believed that cannabis users are dangerous. Around 25% of cannabis users also reported avoiding other people because they feared they’d be looked down on for using cannabis. In all countries surveyed, being a daily user of cannabis increases your likelihood of reporting cannabis stigmatization.
Effects of Stigmatization
While these beliefs are based on outdated stigmas and myths surrounding cannabis use, they persist and can pose harm to both current users and potential patients who would benefit from the wellness properties of the plant, as well as those working in industries associated with it.
According to The Role of Stigma in Cannabis Use Disclosure: An Exploratory Study, which was released earlier this year, medical patients who use cannabis experience stigmatization in healthcare settings that may limit disclosure of cannabis use history. For this reason, it’s important that healthcare providers be knowledgeable in leading such conversations relating to
cannabis while maintaining an unbiased perspective.
It’s important to recognize that today’s adult cannabis user represents a diverse demographic. Today’s cannabis users range from professionals to blue-collar workers, seniors, parents, and military veterans, among others, across various age, ethnic, socio-economic and gender groups. Adult patients use cannabis to help ease the effects of conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, sleep, depression and anxiety–to name a few.
One of the most common issues among German residents is chronic insomnia–affecting about 6 million according to research–and few prescription treatments are available. Chronic insomnia can affect everyday life and cognitive functions. Although patients may benefit from the wellness properties of medical cannabis, they often face difficulties securing cannabis therapy prescriptions for this condition. This is one of the most obvious examples of how society still
discriminates against cannabis patients.
Over the years, the general consensus around cannabis use has changed in part to ease legislative restrictions on cannabis use, yet many still face the repercussions of stigmatization. A report by the Pew Research Center revealed that two-thirds of Americans stated that cannabis use should be legalized and has majority support across age groups and political affiliations.
Such numbers sharply contrast sentiments in 2010 when 52% surveyed opposed legalization.
According to a survey released by the German Hemp Association 6 , in 2021, approval for cannabis legalization among Germans reached 49%–the first time the relative majority was in favor of it. This is a sharp increase from 2014 when only 30% of respondents stated that they were in favor of legalizing cannabis use. The increase in public consensus on legalized cannabis over time ultimately led the country to pass CanG.
Normalization Through Legalization and Innovation
While it is unlikely that stigmas surrounding adult cannabis use will dissipate completely, through thoughtful legalization and education efforts, the use of the plant can be further normalized, and users may feel more comfortable in healthcare and societal settings. To foster normalization and dispel misconceptions, the cannabis industry must address the need for
further patient access and education through innovation.
For example, following the reclassification of cannabis as a non-narcotic in Germany, administrative and bureaucratic hurdles have been reduced, allowing for more medical patients to access the plant. We’ve experienced this firsthand as the number of new patients seen through Bloomwell Group’s digital medical cannabis platform increased in April 2024 by 1,000%, compared to the average number of monthly new patients in the 12 months before the reclassification of cannabis.
It’s important for medical cannabis companies to take the lead in innovating and simplifying the patient journey to allow for greater access and increased understanding of the process. For example, our company has taken significant steps to digitize the patient journey in the wake of reclassification. The company is scaling its digital medical cannabis prescription services to
accommodate 100,000 patients monthly by year’s end.
According to the The Impact of Education on Attitudes Toward Medical Cannabis 2021 study, education is effective in reducing the stigma associated with medical cannabis. It’s important that leaders in the space offer patients educational resources throughout their treatment journey. These resources and information can include historical background on cannabis as medicine, the latest research on its potential efficacy in treating symptoms of various health conditions, as well as the various consumption forms available along with dosing information.