Buying medical grade cannabis is legal for everyone in Germany now. However, there are a few steps and pitfalls involved and to avoid them, we compiled this little guide.
Note: Buying cannabis / weed online is only legal if you do not lie to your doctor. If you lie, it can lead to a punishment of up to 3 years.
Searching for Strains
This step is optional, but highly recommended. It will save you a lot of time and ensure that you get your prescription filled within a couple of days (best case scenario).
Check flowzz or MedCan OneStop to find the best strain for you. When you register, you can compare pharmacy prices and check availability. Doing this prevents you from accidentally ordering a strain that is out of stock or unavailable. You can usually select up to 3 different strains.
Some pharmacies allow paying and picking up your order locally, which is going to save a lot of time and money if your order doesn’t have to go through delivery. Medical shipments usually require you to receive the package yourself, rather than going to a neighbour. Make sure you find a few strains that match your needs and are available all at the same pharmacy.
There are a large number of online cannabis pharmacies available. Flowzz is a good source of information, but some of the pharmacies we’ve used are:
Jiroo (Berlin based, pickup and cash payment possible)
Once you have up to 3 strains, note down their exact names (there are no PZN codes for cannabis strains) and the amount you want to get prescribed. You’ll need this information in the next step.
Procuring a Prescription
Many websites on the internet offer online prescription, but we have so far had good results with the following three:
14.99€ per prescription
Only 1 prescription every 14 days
Can submit the prescription to basically any pharmacy online
14.99€ per prescription
Up to 45g total per month
Can be split into multiple prescriptions
Allows selecting strains from specific pharmacies directly and sending the prescription there
14.20€ per prescription
Limited number of strains / pharmacies available on the website
Note: requires a picture of your ID, associated with a data leak
After you have selected one of these online services, you will be presented with a lengthy form to assess your ailments. All the websites function similarly. After registering with your contact details, you have to fill in a short medical history. Some of the indications for a prescription are insomnia, stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, chronic pain, migraines etc. The forms are really simple and straightforward. Try to be concise, honest and don’t embellish your health issues too much.
Now you can usually request specific strains for your prescription or let the doctor choose some for you. The quantity prescribed is usually 10g to 20g total and if you fill in your own strains, you can also select your own quantities. Otherwise it is up to the prescribing doctor and can not be changed later.
If you let the doctor select the strains, be aware that you might get a prescription for strains that are hard to find, expensive or out of stock. Once you have submitted the application and paid the fee, it is no longer possible to change the prescription in any way or form. Some pharmacies also require that the prescribed amounts exactly match the amounts that you order, while others let you order less than prescribed.
Application Anxiety
You’ve filled out the form and paid the fee, now what? Your application will be reviewed by a doctor and usually approved within a day or two, but it might take longer if they have a lot of requests. Some doctors work on the weekend, others don’t. Some applications get approved in less than 2 hours. A follow-up may be required to talk on the phone or via video call, at least according to the websites mentioned. No one on the discord community has had to do this so far, but it is possible.
Once your application is approved, you get an email and a link to your digital prescription, which you can then use to order your medicine from a pharmacy.
Getting the Goods
Most pharmacies will ask you to register and “reserve” your medicine before you send them the prescription. We recommend that you do so, as it also allows you to already pay in advance and speed up the whole process, since processing your prescription usually takes at least a day or two as well. When you order your strains, make sure that they match exactly what is written on your prescription and only in the same or smaller amounts.
You don’t have to order all strains from your prescription or the full amount. After having “reserved” and paid for your order, all that the pharmacy needs to send it to you is the digital prescription, which you can now send directly to them. Note: some pharmacies still write on their website that they need the physical, printed out prescription mailed to them via snail mail, but from our experience this is a remnant of the old laws around getting medical cannabis and no longer applicable for digital prescriptions.
Canngo and Medcanonestop offer the option of sending the prescription directly to one of the pharmacies on their list. DrAnsay automatically sends the prescription to a pharmacy where you need to complete your order and pay. You can also download the prescription to manually submit it to another pharmacy that is not on the list. You will then have to wait for the pharmacy to review your prescription. This can take up to a few days, especially since there is currently a high number of people using this new way to get their medicine through the legal channels.
Once you have placed your order, it may take a few days for the pharmacy to confirm it and send it to you as they are getting a lot of orders. Delivery is usually done with normal mail, but requires your ID and can’t be delivered to your neighbour or flatmate. The package may have a slight odour, if you are concerned about this, I recommend choosing jiroo and selecting pick up. It is located near S Alt-Mariendorf.
Questions and Answers
How much does it cost?
The prices vary, they can be as low as 4€/g and as high as 20€/g, but are mostly in the 7-12€/g range for popular strains. If you let the doctor select your strains (which we would not recommend), you might end up with a prescription of a very expensive strain.
How do I choose a strain?
That’s the hard part. Try a few different strains and compare them until you figure out what works for you. Just because some strain helped another person with their anxiety, it doesn’t mean it will work for you and sometimes it might worsen your issue instead. It’s all trial and error.
Where can I get a vape?
We recommend Verdampftnochmal (not an affiliate!). They are highly rated, Berlin based, and have a local store in Alt-Treptow. Before you randomly buy one, you should at least know that there are two types of vapes: convection-based and conduction-based. They use different methods to heat up your herbs and if you only want to learn one thing about vapes, it should be the difference between those two.
Are you sure this is legal?
Yes and it’s gotten a lot easier since the legalisation of cannabis in Germany.
Does having a prescription for medical cannabis mean I can drive under the influence?
That’s an oddly specific question. Don’t do that.
Why would I go through this when I can just buy it from my dealer?
If you have legitimate medical concerns that you feel cannabis might help you with, getting a prescription gives you access to a large variety of high quality, unadulterated flowers grown in controlled environments. It allows you to choose strains with the best composition and ensures a reliable supply and consistent quality.
Y’all just wanna get high.
That’s not a question, but yes. However, cannabis has been shown to help with a wide variety of issues, which is why this is possible in the first place. Don’t judge.
Will my health insurance pay for this?
In most cases, you have to pay for it. In some cases, your Krankenkasse may pay for it - read more here.
Where can I learn more?
https://www.reddit.com/r/Cannabis_Apotheken/ to check pharmacy status
https://www.reddit.com/r/germantrees/ for general information about cannabis in German(y)
