Covering the rapidly evolving European cannabis landscape.
At Cannabis Europa London 2026, held in May, delegates confronted a stark divide: the EU races toward regulatory harmonisation and adult-use reform, while the UK remains mired in a stalled medical programme. Investment is flowing east, and the conversation has shifted from ‘if’ to ‘when’ for adult-use in countries like the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
Germany's medical cannabis system has expanded rapidly since 2024 reforms. The UK could learn valuable lessons from its European neighbour.
The European medical cannabis market has surpassed €2 billion in annual revenue for the first time, driven by surging demand in Germany, the UK, Poland, and Italy. With domestic cultivation scaling up and insurance reimbursement expanding, the sector is poised for continued growth into 2027.
A year after Germany launched its second pillar of adult-use cannabis reform, the regional pilot programmes are yielding mixed results. Home cultivation and social clubs have found their feet, but commercial supply chains face regulatory hurdles that offer key lessons for the rest of Europe.
In early 2026, the Czech Republic unveiled draft legislation for a regulated adult-use cannabis market, drawing inspiration from Germany’s model while tailoring provisions to local priorities. The move, paired with a major expansion of the medical programme, is reshaping Central Europe’s cannabis landscape and setting a potential timeline for legal sales by late 2027.
