Cannabis & Medicine
Medical cannabis in Germany – prescription, areas of application and current research.
Medical cannabis has been prescribable in Germany since 2017. With the KCanG of 2024, availability has further improved. Yet many questions remain: Who gets cannabis on prescription? Which conditions are treated? Does health insurance cover the costs?
Our articles on cannabis and medicine are based on the current state of clinical research and German prescribing practice. They cover topics such as pain therapy, sleep disorders, the endocannabinoid system in medical application, current research findings and interactions with other medications.
Important: These articles do not replace medical advice. Medical cannabis should always be used under medical supervision. If you want to use cannabis for medical purposes, talk to your doctor about the options.
All Articles — Cannabis & Medicine
Medical Cannabis in Germany
From prescription through indications to insurance coverage: a comprehensive guide to medical cannabis in Germany since the 2017 legislative change.
The Endocannabinoid System Explained
CB1 and CB2 receptors, anandamide, 2-AG and their role in the nervous system, immune defence, pain regulation and mood: the body's own cannabinoid system explained.
Cannabis Research: Current State of Science
From neuroplasticity through pain research to driving fitness: an overview of the most important current research areas around cannabis and cannabinoids.
Cannabis in Pain Therapy: Evidence and Practice
Chronic pain, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, and migraine – an evidence-based overview of efficacy, dosing, interactions, and clinical practice of cannabinoid-based pain therapy.
Cannabis and Sleep: Effects, Risks, and Alternatives
How THC, CBD, and CBN affect sleep: REM suppression, sleep onset assistance, tolerance development, rebound insomnia, and sleep-promoting terpenes in a scientific overview.
Cannabis and Medications: Important Drug Interactions
CYP450 enzymes, interactions with blood thinners, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opioids, antiepileptics, and more: a practice-oriented guide for safely combining cannabis with medications.
Cannabis Strains for Pain — What Research Says
Which cannabinoids and terpenes may help with pain, which strains are suitable, and what current research shows — evidence-based, without cure promises.
Cannabis for Anxiety Disorders and PTSD: Opportunities and Risks
Cannabis can relieve anxiety – or intensify it. Everything depends on dose, composition and individual. An evidence-based overview of cannabis for anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Cannabis for Cancer Patients: Nausea, Pain and Quality of Life
Cannabis is not a cancer cure – but it can help cancer patients considerably: with chemotherapy-induced nausea, pain, loss of appetite and sleep disturbances. A sober overview.
Cannabis for Multiple Sclerosis: Spasticity, Pain and Quality of Life
Multiple sclerosis is one of the best-documented indications for medical cannabis. Nabiximols (Sativex®) is approved in Germany for moderate to severe spasticity.
CBD for Epilepsy: From Dravet Syndrome to Lennox-Gastaut
Epidiolex® (pharmaceutical CBD) is the first plant-derived cannabinoid medication with FDA and EU approval for severe childhood epilepsy syndromes. How does CBD exert its antiepileptic effect?
