Europe’s Cannabis Market Accelerates: Growth, Leaders, and Future Shifts

Europe is experiencing a true green revolution. The European cannabis market is growing at an unprecedented pace, thanks to bold legal reforms, growing patient demand, and dynamic export growth. The latest report from the analyst firm Prohibition Partners provides hard data that shows who’s calling the shots. Let’s take a look at the numbers shaping the future of the industry.

Germany: A European Leader Breaking Its Own Records

Germany is undoubtedly the driving force behind the entire European market. Germany not only opened up to medical cannabis but also created the conditions for its rapid development.

A medical cannabis market worth over a billion euros

The German medical cannabis market is currently the largest in Europe. It is estimated to be worth over €670 million in 2025 , and forecasts predict it will grow to an impressive €1.32 billion by 2029.

Where did this increase come from? In 2024, imports of the raw material doubled, reaching 72,000 kilograms. The largest imports came from Canada, Portugal, and Denmark. At the same time, Germany is changing the rules of the game at home. Instead of a rigid tender system, open cultivation licenses have been introduced. Giants like Tilray/Aphria, Aurora, and Demecan are already expanding their production capacity.

Increased competition has benefited patients. The average price per gram of dried cannabis has fallen from €10.19 to €7.42 over the past year. While flowers still account for 86% of the cannabis market, other forms, such as oils and extracts, are slowly gaining popularity.

Recreational sales tests have already started

Germany is taking things a step further. Thanks to a new law (CanG), more than 230 cannabis associations are now operating in the country. Furthermore, 28 districts in 10 federal states want to launch pilot sales projects to test the effects of a fully regulated market.

“The combination of regulatory reforms, telemedicine infrastructure, and growing domestic and international supply is setting the standard for how quickly medical cannabis markets can scale,” commented Alex Khourdaji, senior analyst at Prohibition Partners.

Great Britain: Second Giant Focuses on Telemedicine and Domestic Cultivation

Across the English Channel, a growing market is closely following Germany. The UK is now the second-largest player in Europe. Digital access is the key to success.

The UK cannabis market is currently worth over £258 million (€300 million) and is expected to reach £543 million (€630 million) by 2029. Digitalization plays a huge role here. Patients are served by over 30 telemedicine platforms, which have become a central element of the entire system.

In parallel, domestic production is expanding. Companies such as Glass Pharms, Dalgety, and Celadon are scaling up their operations. For example, Glass Pharms is to supply 1,750 kg of raw material annually under an agreement with the Releaf clinic chain.

More and more patients, stable prices

The number of patients in the UK currently stands at 50,000-60,000, with forecasts of 80,000 by the end of the year. Despite this, prices remain stable. The average price per gram of cannabis has fallen slightly, from £7.47 to £7.05.

Poland, the Czech Republic and Denmark are changing the balance of power

While Germany and the UK lead the way, other countries have found their niche and are becoming important players on the international stage.

Poland is the fourth largest market in Europe

It may come as a surprise to many, but Poland has emerged as the fourth-largest medical cannabis market in Europe. With a projected value of €72 million by 2025, this demonstrates enormous potential and patient demand. What fueled this dynamic growth, and what does it look like today?

Initially, two factors were key:

The development of telemedicine: The ability to obtain a prescription during a remote consultation has significantly facilitated access to therapy, especially for people from smaller towns or with limited mobility.

Registration of new products: More and more varieties of dried herbs from different manufacturers began to appear on pharmacy shelves, giving doctors and patients a greater choice in tailoring their therapy.

However, this landscape has recently undergone a significant change. In response to concerns about the overuse of remote consultations, the Ministry of Health has introduced restrictions on telemedicine . Under new regulations that came into effect at the end of 2024, issuing a prescription for narcotic medications, including medical cannabis, requires an in-person examination of the patient, at least during the initial visit.

This shift has led most specialized clinics to transition to a hybrid or fully in-person model . The era of the “prescription machine” has come to an end, leaving many patients struggling to find a clinic in their area.

Despite these tightened regulations, the need for treatment hasn’t disappeared. Access to therapy is still possible, although it requires a bit more effort. Importantly, it’s still possible to obtain a prescription for medical cannabis as part of continuing treatment , often via telemedicine after the initial in-person visit.

Czechs and Danes are flooding the German market

The Czech Republic and Denmark focused on exports, and it turned out to be a hit. After relaxing cultivation regulations, the Czechs shipped 1,300 kg of the raw material to Germany in 2024. Denmark became a true powerhouse, exporting over 7 tons of hemp to Germany during that same period.

Two Development Models: Portugal as a Factory, Switzerland as a Laboratory

Finally, it is worth looking at two countries that have chosen completely different strategies.

Portugal: A cultivation powerhouse with limited access for its own patients

Portugal is a European center for cultivation. In 2024, the country exported over 18 tons of medical cannabis, a 54% increase over the previous year.

Nearly half went to Germany, with the rest to Spain, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Paradoxically, patients in Portugal have very limited access to treatment, hampered by high costs, a lack of reimbursement, and a stringent drug approval system.

Switzerland: step by step towards full legalization

Switzerland, on the other hand, is a vast experimental laboratory. Pilot programs for recreational cannabis sales launched in 2023 have already reached over 10,000 participants . Initial results are promising: consumption has not increased, and participants have gained access to safer products, moving away from the black market. A draft law on nationwide legalization awaits a final vote in 2026.

Summary: Major Trends Shaping the Hemp Market in Europe

Analyzing the numbers leaves no doubt: the European cannabis market is experiencing dynamic growth, driven by several key factors:

Legal reforms in countries like Germany are opening the market wide open.

Growing patient demand and digitalisation (as in the UK) are making access to treatment easier.

Exports are becoming a specialization for countries such as Denmark, the Czech Republic and Portugal.

Germany and the United Kingdom remain the leaders. However, countries like Poland demonstrate that there’s still plenty of room for new players in this industry. Switzerland will be watching closely – its decision in 2026 could set the course for the entire continent.

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(Featured image by Lusign via Pixabay)

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