The Working Group Cannabis as Medicine (ACM) has submitted a petition to the German Bundestag calling for the reversal of the reimbursement ban on medical cannabis flowers. The organization is collecting signatures on paper through October 30, 2026. This move adds a political dimension to the dispute over the flower ban decided in July, running parallel to legal challenges.
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What the Petition Against the Flower Ban Demands
The petition’s wording is straightforward. The Bundestag should repeal the July 2026 law that denies many patients access to medical cannabis flower therapy. The ACM argues that affected patients cannot afford treatment privately and therefore face the loss of an effective therapy. For many, switching to cannabis extracts is not an equivalent alternative.
The legal basis for the ban is the GKV Contribution Stabilization Act, which took effect on July 30, 2026. Since August 1, 2026, statutory health insurance funds no longer cover the cost of medical cannabis flowers. The ACM estimates 65,000 affected patients and notes that private insurers have also adopted this measure. ACM board chairman Franjo Grotenhermen is quoted in the organization’s statement summarizing the situation: many patients now lack effective therapy because they cannot afford private treatment.
Why Signatures Are Collected on Paper
The Bundestag recognizes two pathways. A public petition is published on the Petition Committee’s portal, followed by a six-week signature period. Petitions reaching 30,000 supporters typically receive a public committee hearing. The threshold was previously 50,000 signatures and was lowered to 30,000 on July 1, 2024, while the period extended from four to six weeks. Paper signatures count toward this total, but only within the designated timeframe.
The ACM relies exclusively on a printable signature list with its own deadline of October 30, 2026. A publicly signable version on the Bundestag’s portal was not available at publication time. For signatories, this has two implications. The list requires complete information: first name, last name, street with house number, postal code, city, and signature. Incomplete entries are not counted. Additionally, the number of signatures carries weight not through a threshold requirement, but through political pressure on the committee.
The Petition Is Not the Only Path Against the Reimbursement Ban
In parallel, the ACM is exploring legal options with attorney and professor Oliver Tolmein, including a constitutional complaint. This route has not yet been decided. The organization explicitly refers to possibilities still under evaluation. We have detailed this legal strategy and its potential vulnerabilities in our analysis on how the GKV flower ban is being challenged legally.
The first practical test has already taken place—and did not go well. The Frankfurt Social Court rejected an emergency appeal from an existing patient, deeming the ban constitutionally sound. Nonetheless, professional criticism remains widespread. Multiple pain medicine specialists are calling for an end to regulatory chaos in cannabis prescriptions.
What a Parliamentary Petition Realistically Achieves
A petition cannot repeal a law by itself. The Bundestag passed the package in July with a parliamentary majority, and reversing it within months would constitute a significant political reversal. What the Petition Committee reliably produces, however, is an official statement from the responsible ministry on the matter. This response is documented and citable—precisely the kind of material that can carry weight before the Federal Constitutional Court when determining what consequences lawmakers actually considered for affected patients.
The timing factor also matters. The primary replacement for flowers is a finished pharmaceutical product whose reimbursement rate remains undetermined. Until pricing is set, there is no way to verify whether the switch actually delivers the savings the legislature used to justify the ban. It should be noted that using the petition committee route is not new in German cannabis policy. The Bavarian cannabis petition of 2017 took the same path, though without decisive results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since when do health insurers no longer cover cannabis flowers?
The GKV Contribution Stabilization Act took effect on July 30, 2026. As of August 1, 2026, statutory health insurance funds are prohibited from covering the costs of medical cannabis flowers. According to the ACM, private insurers have also adopted this policy.
Who can sign the petition and what is the deadline?
Anyone can sign, regardless of personal affiliation or patient status. The signature list is available as a PDF on the ACM’s website for printing. Completed forms must be received by the organization in Steinheim no later than October 30, 2026. Lists received after this date will not be considered.
How does a paper signature collection differ from a public petition?
A public petition appears on the Petition Committee’s portal and can be signed for six weeks. If it reaches 30,000 supporters, a public hearing typically follows. A paper signature collection is also processed but does not trigger this automatic pathway. Its impact depends on the sheer number of signatures collected.
Can a petition actually overturn the law?
Not directly. The Petition Committee can forward a submission to the federal government for consideration or close proceedings without any changes resulting. Any law change would require separate action by the Bundestag itself. The petition therefore functions as a political pressure tool, not a legal remedy.
What applies to patients with unlimited authorizations?
There is no transition period for existing patients. The Frankfurt Social Court examined this exact issue in emergency proceedings and rejected the appeal. Patients wishing to continue treatment currently pay privately or switch to a reimbursable medication.
Sources: Working Group Cannabis as Medicine e.V. (Petition page and press release of August 28, 2026), German Bundestag (Procedural Principles of the Petition Committee, Information on Public Petitions).
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