Four 20 Pharma CEO Torsten Greif: Redefining Medical Cannabis in Germany and Beyond

When it comes to Europe’s evolving cannabis landscape, few figures stand taller than Torsten Greif, co-founder and CEO of Four 20 Pharma. From its headquarters in the German city of Paderborn, Greif has built one of Europe’s most sophisticated and respected medical cannabis companies — a vertically integrated operation that manages everything from breeding and cultivation to extraction, distribution, and patient engagement.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Honeysuckle Media (@honeysucklemagazine)

“We control the entire supply chain,” Greif says. “That’s been one of our biggest assets — and one of the keys to our success.”

From Startup to Standard-Setter

Founded in 2019, Four 20 Pharma entered a tightly regulated market that was still defining itself. At the time, Germany’s medical cannabis quotas were scarce, and most operators were wholesalers dependent on government allocation. Greif and his co-founder Thomas quickly realized that long-term survival required vertical integration and independence.

“As more wholesalers entered the market, the quotas kept shrinking,” Greif recalls. “We understood that if we wanted consistency and quality, we had to become our own brand — with our own product — fast.”

That decision launched Four 20 Pharma into global partnerships and a deep commitment to EU-GMP certification, the highest pharmaceutical standard for cannabis in Europe. A stroke of strategic luck came when the company recruited a former government quality officer — someone who had previously issued EU-GMP licenses — turning regulatory experience into their competitive edge.

Within a few short years, Four 20 Pharma helped multiple facilities worldwide achieve EU-GMP status, securing a seed-to-pharmacy pipeline that few others could match. “It gave us control from start to finish,” Greif says. “We understood quality at every stage.”

Listening to Patients, Not Just Doctors

While many companies focused on educating physicians, Greif quickly realized that patients were the real drivers of Germany’s medical cannabis movement.

“In most areas of medicine, doctors lead the decision,” he says. “But here, it was the opposite — patients came in knowing what they wanted. They understood strains, effects, and terpene profiles better than most physicians did at the time.”

That realization reshaped Four 20 Pharma’s strategy. The company began connecting directly with patient communities through online forums, peer groups, and early cannabis influencers — a move that helped establish its reputation for transparency and authenticity.

Then came an unexpected milestone: sports sponsorship. Four 20 Pharma became the first cannabis company to sponsor a professional German soccer club, SC Paderborn 07, even while cannabis was still classified as a narcotic.

“It took time to persuade them,” Greif admits with a grin. “But we’re from Paderborn, and we already had a good relationship with the club. Eventually, they said yes.”

In April 2024, the partnership made headlines when the team unveiled a special green ‘Finally Legal’ jersey to mark partial legalization — a cultural moment that fused sports, progress, and stigma-breaking visibility.

Cultivating with Purpose: The Compound Genetics Collaboration

Four 20 Pharma’s commitment to innovation extends into genetics. In collaboration with Compound Genetics and breeder Junglstr, the company embarked on a groundbreaking EU-GMP-compliant breeding project.

“Junglstr convinced me to try something new,” Greif recalls. “It wasn’t just about growing high-end genetics — it was about making sure they could legally enter the medical market under pharmaceutical standards.”

The partnership’s debut strain, Berlin Berries, launched at Mary Jane Berlin 2025, symbolizing the union of craft culture and pharmaceutical precision — a perfect metaphor for where Germany’s cannabis industry is headed.

A New Era: Europe’s First Certified Medical Vape

As the German market matures, Four 20 Pharma continues to push boundaries. Its newest milestone: the first EU-GMP-certified medical vape — a distillate-based, doctor-prescribed inhalable product developed under strict quality controls.

“This connects everything we’ve built,” says Greif. “It’s fully certified, reimbursable, and safe. It gives doctors confidence, patients assurance, and the industry a new benchmark for medical reliability.”

The company is also collaborating with some of Germany’s largest elderly-care networks on pilot programs designed to bring medical cannabis safely into senior facilities. “It’s taken nearly four years,” Greif notes, “but now that we have the right product, it’s finally possible.”

Marketing Without Breaking the Rules

Under Germany’s strict advertising laws, Four 20 Pharma can’t directly market cannabis — so Greif turned to guerrilla marketing. Drawing from his background in eSports, he and his team found creative ways to integrate the brand into mainstream culture through sponsorships, gaming partnerships, and telemedicine collaborations.

One standout project is a 15-minute short film inspired by the German cult classic Bang Boom Bang (1999). “We wanted to keep that rebellious, nostalgic energy,” Greif says, “but also show how far the market has evolved — from underground to regulated, from risky to respected.”

Precision, Purpose, and Play

For Torsten Greif, success at Four 20 Pharma is defined by balance — between science and soul, regulation and creativity.

“My motto is ‘fun first,’” he says. “We take what we do seriously, but we never lose the joy that started it all.”

With that mix of passion, patient focus, and pharmaceutical precision, Four 20 Pharma has become a blueprint for how medical cannabis can thrive in Europe’s next phase of legalization.

“Our goal,” Greif concludes, “is to build trust — between patients, doctors, and regulators — and to show that cannabis can be professional, compassionate, and transformative.”