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In the coming weeks, Prohibition Partners will launch a new digital knowledge hub, offering readers the same in-depth and up-to-date analysis they’ve come to expect from the company, in an easy-to-navigate, consistently updated, interactive format.
Ahead of its release, we have delved into some of the key data and insights set to be integrated into the new site, providing a taste of what readers can expect. For further exclusive analysis into the European cannabis market, pre-orders for data packages are available now.
A number of countries in Europe are currently at some stage of medical cannabis reform. These reforms are set to lay the foundation for five permanent medical cannabis markets in the region. Three of these will be entirely new markets, while two are transitioning from pilot programmes to permanent medical cannabis systems. Medical cannabis reform is an ongoing and dynamic process in Europe, and the pace and scope of current development across the region is noteworthy.
Upcoming: Prohibition Partners, The European Cannabis Report: 10th Edition – Pre-Order Now
France & Spain
Both France and Spain have notified the EU of their intention to establish permanent medical cannabis frameworks within their respective health systems, so both are on a clear path to implementing meaningful cannabis reform in the course of the next year.
Of the two, France is the more promising market. It has already been carrying out medical cannabis trials, it has trained doctors, an existing patient base, and experience of dealing with medical cannabis within its healthcare system. The French proposals would permit both extract-based and flower products, establish a means for new product registration, as well as for the domestic production of medical cannabis. Prescribing doctors will still need to have specific medical cannabis education, however there are already at least 274 doctors which have undergone such training.
Spain, on the other hand, is aiming to bring in a medical cannabis system which is quite limited in scope, with no existing framework to scale up. The criteria which would make a patient eligible for prescription are quite narrow, and only specialist practitioners will be able to prescribe. There are also limitations on the products which will be permitted for use in treatment, with only extract-based products allowed.
Spanish authorities will be developing a framework for medical cannabis access for the first time under its healthcare system (outside of clinical trials), so the timeline for effective patient access remains unclear. The experience of other countries has shown that the period between legalisation of medical cannabis treatment and the establishment of effective patient access can stretch for years. The Spanish industry for medical cannabis cultivation and processing remains one of the strongest in Europe; however, there is still no clear path for these products to be used for patient treatment within the country.
Denmark
From January 2026, there will be a permanent medical cannabis treatment framework established within Denmark’s healthcare system, which will effectively be a continuation of the current trial framework. Denmark launched its pilot programme for medical cannabis treatment in 2018, alongside the launch of its medical cannabis production industry, and having initially been scheduled to end in 2021, the pilot was extended and is now set to wrap up in December 2025.
The agreement to make the trial permanent also included a provision to strengthen the guidance for doctors and patients regarding treatment options with medicinal cannabis, with the hope that doctors will feel more confident in prescribing medical cannabis.
Upcoming: Prohibition Partners, The European Cannabis Report: 10th Edition – Pre-Order Now
Slovenia
In 2024, Slovenians voted for progressive reform in non-binding referendums regarding the cultivation and processing of cannabis for medical purposes and the cultivation and possession of cannabis for limited personal use.
On the basis of the first referendum, in April 2025, Slovenia’s lawmakers introduced legislation which regulates the cultivation, production and trade of cannabis for medical and scientific purposes, as well as supervisory mechanisms and bodies. The proposed law would allow for a licensed system of cultivation, manufacture and exports, as well as a liberal framework for medical cannabis treatment, which would see medical cannabis prescribed as a non-narcotic. This framework would allow for broad medical cannabis access for Slovenian patients.
It is expected that this bill will be followed by another, which will regulate personal cultivation, possession and consumption, in line with the second referendum from 2024.
Ukraine
Ukraine legalised medical cannabis treatment and production in February 2024, and established a detailed regulatory framework in August 2024 which defined the mechanisms by which the systems of production, import and patient access would function.
The medical cannabis system in Ukraine will be import-reliant in its first years, with domestic production not expected to come online commercially until at least 2028. In January 2025, the first medical cannabis products were registered in Ukraine – three full-spectrum extracts from Curaleaf. No patients have been treated with medical cannabis yet in the country, however when treatment does begin there will be a large pool of eligible prescribers, because primary care physicians as well as specialists will be able to prescribe cannabis. There is also significant patient demand, partly due to high levels of PTSD, insomnia, anxiety, pain and other conditions as a direct result of the conflict.
“}]] A number of countries in Europe are currently at some stage of medical cannabis reform. These reforms are set to lay the foundation for five permanent medical cannabis markets in the region. Read More
