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Market Overview
Portugal’s estimated medical cannabis sales for 2025 are valued at over €280,000, with projections suggesting growth to €XXX million by 2029 (see Prohibition Partners Market Sizing Forecasts, 2025–2029).
While domestic patient access remains limited, Portugal has emerged as one of Europe’s leading medical cannabis producers and exporters, supported by a business-friendly regulatory framework and efficient licensing environment. Over the past five years, the country’s export-focused industry has flourished, positioning Portugal as a key supplier to high-value markets including Germany, Poland, Spain, Australia and Malta.
In 2024 alone, over 18 tonnes of medical cannabis were exported—representing one of the largest export volumes in Europe. Despite this, domestic consumption remains constrained by stringent product approval processes, limited medical training, and the absence of public reimbursement.
Regulatory Framework
Portugal’s medical cannabis framework was established under Law No. 33/2018 (18 July 2018), which authorised the use of cannabis-derived products, preparations and substances for medical purposes. The implementation and market authorisation procedures were subsequently defined in Decree-Law No. 8/2019 (15 January 2019).
Non-pharmaceutical cannabis products (i.e., products other than Sativex and Epidyolex) must obtain Market Placing Authorisation (ACM) from Portugal’s National Authority of Medicines and Health Products (INFARMED) before they can be prescribed. The ACM process remains bureaucratic, lengthy and costly, requiring companies to demonstrate:
- GACP and GMP compliance
- Proof of cultivation/manufacturing authorisations
- Submission of a full quality dossier meeting EMA standards
The pricing framework—outlined in Ministerial Order No. 44-A/2019 (31 January 2019)—requires suppliers to submit price proposals to INFARMED, which assesses them against international market benchmarks.
Licensing and inspection across the cannabis supply chain are regulated under Ministerial Order 83/2021, which covers cultivation, manufacture, wholesale trade, transport, import and export.
Patient Access
Prescribers: Any licensed doctor in Portugal can prescribe medical cannabis, but only for approved indications and strictly as a treatment of last resort. Due to limited clinical education on the endocannabinoid system, only a small number of physicians currently prescribe cannabis treatments.
Approved Indications:
- Spasticity from multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury
- Chemotherapy/radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
- Appetite loss in palliative care for cancer or AIDS patients
- Chronic pain
- Tourette’s syndrome
- Epileptic disorders
- Therapy-resistant glaucoma
Reimbursement: There is no public reimbursement scheme, with patients required to pay out-of-pocket for all prescribed treatments.
Prescription Trends: Between 2021 and 2023, prescriptions increased from 460 to 1,157 annually, but INFARMED data show a slowdown in 2024, with 757 prescriptions issued up to Q3—equating to a quarterly average of 252. This decline reflects ongoing barriers, including a narrow list of eligible conditions, physician reluctance, and administrative complexity.
Products & Prices
The limited domestic market is largely the result of low prescription rates and stringent ACM approvals, leading most Portuguese producers to prioritise export markets.
- Extract Products: Seven medical cannabis extracts are currently authorised, ranging in price from €98 to €193.40 per packaged unit depending on cannabinoid concentration. FAI Therapeutics produces five of these extracts, while Tilray produces two. Portocanna has received ACM approval for an additional extract, though it is not yet commercially available.
- Flower Products: Two flower products are available—Tilray THC 18 (15 g) and Portocanna Hexacan 22% (10 g). Despite a higher THC concentration, Portocanna’s product is priced lower per gram. Other approved but unavailable SKUs include Hexa 20% and Hexa 25%.
Imports & Exports
Portugal has become Europe’s largest medical cannabis exporter, supported by over 50 authorised exporting companies.
In the first three quarters of 2024 alone, exports exceeded 18 tonnes, a 54% increase year-on-year compared with 2023’s 11.97 tonnes.
Top Destinations (2024):
- Germany – 46%
- Spain – 20%
- Poland – 16%
- United Kingdom – 10%
- Australia – 5%
Some licensed companies repackage and re-export imported cannabis products, though official import data remain undisclosed by INFARMED.
Domestic Production
As of March 2025, Portugal has 61 licensed cannabis operators:
- 41 with cultivation licences
- 24 with manufacturing licences
- 25 holding EU-GMP certification
The country’s production strength is underpinned by low operating costs, favourable climatic conditions, a skilled agricultural workforce, and an export-oriented regulatory framework. These advantages continue to attract multinational producers seeking scalable European manufacturing bases.
Outlook
Portugal’s role within Europe’s cannabis supply chain is expected to strengthen as global demand for GMP-compliant products rises. However, without meaningful reforms to improve domestic access, the local patient market will remain marginal compared to the country’s industrial and export potential.
