Medical cannabis is in a package at Cansativa GmbH in Hesse, Mörfelden-Walldorf. Locator apps can guide consumers to medical cannabis businesses, CBD shops, and social clubs. Photo: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa (Photo by Sebastian Gollnow/picture alliance via Getty Images)
dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
The same technology that powers dispensary locator apps in the U.S. is taking shape in Germany, paving the way for a network of cannabis social clubs and services.
Justin Hartfield is founder of Weed.de and co-founder of Weedmaps. Weed.de was recently unveiled as Germany’s latest digital platform that aims to connect patients, doctors, pharmacies, and CBD shops. On Monday, the platform announced its plans to expand into the country, with new leadership roles.
Weed.de founder and Weedmaps co-founder Justin Hartfield, who is expanding operations into Germany.
Photo courtesy Weed.de.
“The market in Germany is different in terms of how it’s designed from a regulatory standpoint, it’s also different in terms of the consumer, and it’s also different in terms of the stage of capitalism,” Hartfield says in a video call.
Germany legalized adult-use cannabis on April 1, 2024, with a law known as the Cannabis Act—a bill that’s been hailed as a catalyst for drug reform in Europe. It allows adults 18 and over to possess small amounts of cannabis, cultivate a limited number of plants for personal use, and join non-profit cannabis social clubs.
So far, Weed.de has attracted more than 50,000 monthly users, providing real-time product listings, a data hub, and partnerships for patients and businesses.
“In Germany, they’ve got a robust legal medical system, while the recreational side is still kind of forming with the social clubs that they’ve created as non-profit,” Hartfield says. “So they’ve really taken the platform and put it into their highly regulated medical market, which was a very German move—a very great move—because it allows for a huge amount of legal white market enterprise. And now you see huge German manufacturers and distributors, and they’re importing from countries all across the world, so it’s become a really healthy industry, unlike United States, where everything is inside the country.”
Adjusting to the Cannabis Market in Germany
Consumers in Germany have slightly different preferences in terms of cannabis due to the variety of products, or lack thereof.
“I used to think in the downside of the German market—and I think this is going to change in 2026—is that there’s a lack of variety,” Hartfield says. “Unlike the U.S. market, where say, only 20% of the market is flower. In Germany, it’s maybe 80% of the market, or more, because there’s not very many product types available. There’s an undue loss in product from them, and [a plan] just got released. They expect it to be some more product innovation within the type of controls that the German parts of the framework within the coming months and next year, but as of now, it hasn’t materialized.”
As Germany is quickly becoming the proving ground for regulated cannabis in Europe, apps are providing slightly different purposes. Apps like CanNah and 420cloud find social clubs, while others like Bubatzkarte show legal consumption areas.
“There are key differences,” Hartfield says, between Weedmaps in the U.S. and Weed.de. “In Germany, we have the system’s navigational layer where, as in America, Weedmaps exists more as a transaction layer. So there’s just some things that are just regulatory that we can’t do.”
Weedmaps has been a leader in tech and dispensary locator apps for years in the U.S., with offices spread through Denver, Tucson, New York, Barcelona, and Toronto. But few apps compare to the services Weedmaps provides.
“There are varying degrees of other websites out there, but I think nobody captures what we’re only doing, after talking to all the various consumers of at the end of this. We’re not just a telemedicine clinic, like how many other people are operating,” he says. “We try to provide it with a lot of educational resource to our patients.”
Weed.de Announces New Leadership in Germany
On Monday, the company announced the appointment of Dr. Sebastián Marincolo as Director of Strategic Content & Editorial to lead Weed.de’s knowledge base education and media division.
Author Dr. Sebastian Marincolo will serve as Director of Strategic Content & Editorial at Weed.de.
Photo courtesy Weed.de.
Dr. Marincolo holds over 20 years of international experience as a cannabis researcher, author, and communications strategist. He’s written five books on cannabis psychoactivity, including Elevated: Cannabis as a Tool for Mind Enhancement published in 2023. Marincolo also serves on the European Scientific Advisory Board of the Women’s Cannabis Project and is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Cannabis Initiative for Transdisciplinary Analysis (CINTA).
Previously, he served as director of communications and marketing at Canopy Growth Germany GmbH.
“Dr. Marincolo’s expertise in cannabis, communications, and philosophy is unmatched in Europe,” stated Richard Cowan, CEO of Weed.de. “As Weed.de continues to grow as an established cannabis information and access platform, Sebastián’s thought leadership will strengthen our brand, deepen user engagement, and elevate our voice in the cannabis ecosystem.”
Workers promote the launch of Weed.de at Cannafair Düsseldorf, Germany. It’s the latest dispensary locator app.
Photo courtesy Weed.de.
Dr. Marincolo said, “I’m honored to join Weed.de at such a transformative time for Germany’s cannabis market. Weed.de is improving access and conversation around cannabis culture in Europe. I look forward to supporting users, providers, and the wider community.”
Cannabis tech platforms continued to roll out in Europe’s most exciting new market. Weed.de is available for consumers in Germany looking for a resource to find local businesses.
