Import Decline Becomes Import Record
German medical cannabis imports for the first quarter of 2026 did not decline as initially reported. The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) has retroactively adjusted its figures for January through March from 50.5 to 67.6 tonnes. Rather than marking the first quarterly downturn in two years, this period now represents the strongest quarter the agency has ever reported. The correction was made public on August 20, 2026.
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From Reported Decline to Import Record
In May, BfArM reported exactly 50.539 tonnes for the first quarter of 2026. The updated version now shows 67.569 tonnes—17.03 tonnes more, a 33.7 percent upward adjustment from the originally published figure. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, which saw 60.9 tonnes, the corrected amount is 12.1 percent higher.
The significance of this figure extends beyond mere statistics. In May, the trade press and social networks widely circulated news that the German medical cannabis market had recorded its first quarterly decline in two years. We ourselves reported on this development at the time, contextualizing the reported decline to 50.5 tonnes. That assessment is now obsolete with this correction. The turning point described never actually occurred.
Why BfArM Import Figures Are Regularly Revised Upward
Two mechanisms drive these revisions. First, importers don’t always report their volumes within the required timeframe, meaning late submissions only appear in subsequent reports. Second, the agency restructured its data collection in 2024 to separately report flowers and extracts. Both factors mean that initial quarterly publications systematically understate actual imports.
This case is not an outlier but the norm. Q2 2025 was revised upward by 10.3 percent after initial publication, Q3 by 4.4 percent, and Q4 by 6.4 percent. All recent revisions have moved in the same direction. BfArM has added a note to its import charts indicating that figures represent the status at the time of publication.
Alfredo Pascual, Head of Strategy and Corporate Development at Cologne-based importer Cannamedical, drew attention to the current correction. He classifies Q1 2026 as the largest quarter the agency has ever published.
Q1 2026 is the largest quarter BfArM has ever published, 12.1 percent above Q4 2025.
What the Revised Figure Reveals About the German Market
The revised volume demonstrates demand that continued growing in spring 2026. However, an important caveat applies. The quarter ended on March 31, placing it entirely before the cost-containment decisions affecting statutory health insurance reimbursement. Drawing conclusions about the late summer situation from these 67.6 tonnes would overextend the data. The ongoing debate about reimbursement—including whether reimbursement for cannabis extracts remains uncertain—illustrates how profoundly reimbursement questions now shape the market.
For price development, higher import volumes follow a familiar pattern. Growing supply combined with high cannabinoid content pushes down retail prices—a market analysis examining high THC levels amid falling prices documented this trend as early as summer. In European comparison, Germany remains by far the largest buyer. The United Kingdom imported around 30 tonnes in 2025, according to our analysis of British medical cannabis imports.
Behind the tonnage stand patients with specific medical indications. Registry data on cannabis therapy provides insight into what years of clinical use reveal—for example, data on cannabis therapy for endometriosis. The political landscape remains fluid, with drug policy commissioner Hendrik Streeck calling for corrections to the Cannabis Act that would affect medical provision.
A Lesson for Reporting on Market Data
This situation contains an uncomfortable truth. Once published, an official figure appears definitive and gets cited accordingly. In reality, initial reports represent a preliminary status. Drawing trend conclusions from a single initial figure risks exactly the mistake that occurred widely in May.
For the industry, this suggests a practical guideline: a BfArM quarterly figure should only be considered reliable after the next publication, once late submissions have been incorporated. For our part, this means we must flag our May article as superseded. Silent correction would be more convenient but wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much medical cannabis was imported to Germany in Q1 2026?
According to BfArM’s corrected figures, 67.569 tonnes. The initially published figure in May 2026 was 50.539 tonnes. The corrected value represents the highest quarterly figure the agency has ever reported.
Why does BfArM revise its import figures after initial publication?
Importers sometimes report their volumes late, so these submissions only appear in later reports. Additionally, the agency changed its data collection method in 2024 to separately report flowers and extracts. Both effects cause the first quarterly publication to be systematically low.
Have earlier quarters also been revised upward?
Yes, consistently. Q2 2025 was revised upward by 10.3 percent, Q3 by 4.4 percent, and Q4 by 6.4 percent. No downward revisions occurred during this period.
Does the record figure mean the German market continues growing?
It confirms growth for Q1 2026. However, current conditions cannot be inferred from this, since the quarter ended March 31. The statutory health insurance reimbursement decisions took effect afterward and are not reflected in this figure.
When should a BfArM quarterly figure be considered reliable?
In practice, only after the agency publishes the following quarter and late submissions have been incorporated. Until then, an initial figure should be treated as preliminary and not interpreted as a trend shift.
Sources: Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Medical Cannabis Import Statistics, as of 08.20.2026), Krautinvest („33.7 % increase of Q1 cannabis imports after BfArM update,“ 08.20.2026), International CBC („German Q1 2026 Cannabis Import Total Revised Upward,“ 08.20.2026).
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