medical cannabis demand in Germany increased for higher-THC, lower-cost flower between December 2024 and November 2025, according to a new study in the International Journal of Drug Policy.
Researchers scraped product and ordering data from a single German online dispensary across that 12-month window. They tracked nearly 1,000 unique cannabis flower varieties and recorded a cumulative demand of 1.58 tonnes. Orders clustered during standard weekday business hours and fell sharply overnight and over weekends.
Key metrics changed rapidly. Median THC for flower rose from 23.1% in late 2024 to 25.9% by November 2025. Median retail price per gram dropped 31%, from €8.64 to €5.95. Measured another way, the median price per 10 mg of THC fell 36% to €0.23. As availability of higher-potency stock increased, average prices fell across almost every THC tier except the 10–14.9% band, which did not follow the general downward price trend.
Demand concentrated in the 20–29.9% THC range, which accounted for more than 70% of total recorded purchases across the year. Flower with 25–29.9% THC showed the strongest growth in interest; products testing 30–39.5% THC surged during the second half of 2025. Lower-potency items under 15% THC attracted less than 3% of cumulative demand.
The study notes market changes that explain part of the price movement: new product introductions, growing inventories and competitive pricing among suppliers. Canada remains the largest supplier to Germany’s medical program during the study period.
Testing and label accuracy raise questions about these observed shifts. Multiple laboratory datasets show many products do not reach advertised THC single-value claims. A Canadian testing lab reported in 2023 that most samples measured about 18–24% THC, with relatively few exceeding 30%. A 2021 U.S. study found THC measurements clustered around 18–20%. In 2025, Pure Sunfarms recommended reporting THC as a range rather than a single number to better reflect batch variability. Health Canada’s early 2025 Cannabis Data Gathering Program reported that nearly half of 50 legal samples measured below 80% of their label claim.
Those testing discrepancies have two practical effects for Germany’s medical market. First, patients and prescribers who select products based on a single-number THC label may receive doses that differ from expectations. Second, retailers and suppliers that compete on advertised potency face pressure to either align labeling with laboratory results or adjust pricing to reflect uncertainty.
Limitations: the study draws on one online pharmacy, so its recorded demand patterns and price trajectories may not represent the entire German medical market. The authors compare their findings to broader industry reports and find the trends—falling prices, rising availability of higher-potency flower—consistent with other sources, but they caution against overgeneralizing from a single retailer.
Implications for stakeholders
– Patients: Orders concentrated around mid-to-high THC flower (20–29.9%) indicate a clear patient preference for higher potency. Patients should verify testing sources and consider products with lab-reported ranges or certificates of analysis.
– Clinicians: Prescribers who rely on label THC percentages should recognize that measured potency can vary from label claims. Adjusting dosing guidance to account for label uncertainty can reduce under- or overdosing risk.
– Regulators: The prevalence of misaligned label claims across international samples supports policies that require disclosure of potency ranges and batch-level lab results. Health Canada and industry actors have already proposed range-based reporting; Germany’s regulators may consider similar steps to improve dose accuracy.
– Suppliers and retailers: Price competition has driven down per-gram and per-THC costs. Suppliers offering stable, verified potency may gain market share if patients prioritize consistent dosing over headline THC percentages.
Conclusion
The study documents a clear shift in Germany’s recorded medical cannabis demand toward higher-THC, lower-cost flower during 2024–25, with median THC rising to 25.9% and median price per gram falling by 31%. At the same time, independent testing raises questions about single-value THC labels, suggesting that labeling reforms and stronger batch testing could change purchasing patterns and dosing practices in the medical program.
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy; data from a web-scraped German online dispensary (Dec 2024–Nov 2025); supporting analysis from Canadian and U.S. laboratory studies and Health Canada.
