Green Party representatives Dr. Paula Piechotta and Jürgen Kasek from Leipzig debated with the directors of the Grünhorn Group about the dangers facing German cannabis companies that have invested in advance and are still waiting for a political decision.

Leipzig, 14. Februar 2024

The legalization of cannabis is currently high on the political agenda, and this has been the case for the Green Party for quite some time. Dr. Paula Piechotta, a doctor and Bundestag member for Saxony, and Jürgen Kasek, a lawyer and member of the Leipzig City Council, have been passionately advocating for this issue for years. On February 14, they visited the Grünhorn Pharmacy in Leipzig, part of Germany’s largest cannabis group, Grünhorn, in light of recent events.

Grünhorn, with its 140 employees, is a significant employer in the region and a major economic driver. Sven-Roger von Schilling, CEO of Schurer Pharma & Kosmetik GmbH (Grünhorn Group), stated: "Last year, we invested a mid-single-digit million amount to prepare for legalization and the doubling of cannabis volume with automation, R&D, and more personnel. Like many other companies, we are still waiting for the go-ahead. It is now crucial for the government to fulfill its promise to prevent waves of layoffs or closures among startups that have invested in advance!"

Dr. Paula Piechotta and Jürgen Kasek (The Greens) advocate for the Leipzig economy to benefit and grow from cannabis legalization. Recently, Leipzig surpassed the €1 billion mark in business tax revenue. The politicians believe it is important to continue promoting this positive trend. In this context, they also emphasize the need to eliminate the black market. Grünhorn founder Stefan Fritsch commented: "We completely agree! Many patients resort to street products because prescriptions are hard to obtain and bureaucratic hurdles are too high. There is a world of difference between the controlled quality from the pharmacy and what you get from a street dealer. Street market flowers are often contaminated with quartz sand or synthetic cannabinoids that can be addictive and deadly."
 
Other important points discussed:

• Pharmaceutical Quality: Pure cannabis must be free from mold, making it essential that the flowers have minimal microbial contamination during cultivation.
• Access: Doctors need to simplify access to prevent patients from turning to the black market. Insurers should not pass costs onto patients. Reducing hurdles for applying for medical cannabis therapy is a priority.
• Price: Through professional strategies, prices for pharmaceutical-grade cannabis have been achieved that undercut those of the black market. This allows patients who do not have their prescriptions covered by insurance to still purchase pharmaceutically tested flowers.