Friedrich Merz in Finland for Nordic summit – DW – 05/26/2025

German Health Minister Nina Warken, who belongs to the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said that the government wants to restrict the online prescription of medicinal cannabis.

“It is very simple to get a prescription online,” Warken told Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily.

“You just tick what sort of discomfort you allegedly have on a checklist and you get an online prescription,” she said.

She said that the increasing use of medicinal marijuana was an example of “clear abuse,” as the drug should only be prescribed for people with serious illnesses.

Germany began permitting consumption of cannabis for medical purposes in 2017 and partially legalized recreational use in April, 2024.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to travel to Finland on Monday to attend a summit where he will meet with the prime ministers of the Nordic countries.

He is scheduled to attend a dinner with the Nordic leaders in Turku, which lies on Finland’s southwestern coast.

Besides the host, Finland, delegations from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland are also to take part in the summit.

Finland and Sweden joined NATO in 2023, a military alliance in which Berlin is looking to take on an increased leadership role. 

Greenland and the Faroe Islands, which are self-governing territories of Denmark, are to send their own delegations. The Baltic Sea region of Aland, an autonomous Swedish-speaking archipelago that is part of Finland, is also scheduled to attend.

Greenland made international headlines in recent months after US President Donald Trump suggested that Washington could take over the autonomous island territory.

Guten Tag and welcome to our coverage of developments in Germany on Monday, May 26, 2025.

This blog will provide you the latest news, analysis, multimedia content and DW on-the-ground reporting in regards to events in Germany. Stay tuned for more!