"Need Enlightenment and Destigmatization"
Interview with Matthias Glaser, Managing Director of Canopy Growth Germany GmbH
Cannabis is not just a lifestyle product. As a subsidiary of the Canadian parent company Canopy Growth Corporation, Canopy Growth Germany GmbH, based in St. Leon-Rot, distributes medical cannabis and stands for the highest quality standards. In a conversation with Wirtschaftsforum, Managing Director Matthias Glaser talks about responsibility, education, and knowledge transfer concerning cannabis therapy.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Glaser, you have been leading Canopy Growth Germany for about two years. How is the company positioned in Germany?
Matthias Glaser: We are a 100% subsidiary of Canopy Growth Corporation from Canada, the pioneer in the field of medicinal cannabis. We have been active in Germany since 2015, when a special permit for medicinal cannabis was still required. Our site in St. Leon-Rot includes production, storage, and distribution with about 45 employees. Here, we package the products for the German and Polish markets.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is medical cannabis used for?
Matthias Glaser: It is mainly used for pain and cancer patients, but also for sleep disorders, ADHD, endometriosis, or fibromyalgia. We exclusively distribute dried cannabis flowers, which are used for inhalation in Germany
are determined. Thus, they are not smoked but administered via an inhalation device. The flowers primarily come from our own production in Canada and are tested according to the highest pharmaceutical standards. The flowers are manually packed in 5- and 15-gram doses at our facility. Each batch is carefully examined and selected to ensure absolute purity. The entire procedure is GMP-certified and subject to strict control by the Tübingen Regional Council. We supply exclusively to pharmacies and pharmaceutical wholesalers, i.e., B2B, never directly to end consumers.
Wirtschaftsforum: You have co-initiated a quality initiative. What is behind it?
Matthias Glaser: Together with our partner Avextra and the Association of Cannabis Supplying Pharmacies, VCA, we have launched an independent quality initiative. The goal is to provide guidance to doctors, pharmacies, and patients on which products meet the highest standards. It involves transparency in analysis certificates, origin, certifications, and irradiation of the flowers, thus creating a clear quality seal in a still young market.
Wirtschaftsforum: How important is education in this field?
Matthias Glaser: It plays a central role for us. We conduct continuing education and certified training for female doctors, male doctors, and pharmacies, and participate in scientific events. Furthermore, together with the German Medicinal-Cannabis Society, we are awarding a research prize for the first time. Our goal is education, destigmatization, and the promotion of evidence-based medicine.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do you differentiate yourself from so-called recreational cannabis?
Matthias Glaser: Clearly through our focus on medical quality. We do not participate in campaigns that promote cannabis as a lifestyle product. For us, safety, research, and responsible use are paramount. This is also a difference from many new players who have entered the market since the partial legalization.
Wirtschaftsforum: What does sustainability mean to you?
Matthias Glaser: Cannabis is a natural product. At the same time, its cultivation is energy-intensive. Temperature and humidity must be constantly controlled. We are working to make our processes and packaging more sustainable, for instance by using alternative materials. However, we must always operate within the framework of pharmaceutical regulations.
Wirtschaftsforum: What, in your opinion, makes the success of Canopy Growth Germany?
Matthias Glaser: Firstly, the origin of our products – Canadian medicinal cannabis is considered the gold standard worldwide. Secondly, our high standards for quality and safety, and our close cooperation with doctors and pharmacies. And finally, our clear stance: we focus on transparency, quality and education.
Wirtschaftsforum: How would you describe your corporate culture?
Matthias Glaser: She is very open, direct, and collaborative. We work closely with Canada across national borders, but we maintain down-to-earth, transparent communication. Here, no one is a dreamer – we calculate carefully, but always on equal footing.
Wirtschaftsforum: And what direction should the company take in the future?
Matthias Glaser: A critical step is new formulations that allow for more precise dosing – such as extracts, tablets, or topical applications. While the cannabis flower will always remain a central component, to continue growing, we must develop new solutions that allow doctors a safe dosage.