Contents
Market Overview
Poland’s medical cannabis market is one of the fastest-growing in Central and Eastern Europe. The country’s estimated market size for 2025 is over €45 million, and it is projected to increase to €XXX million by 2029 (see Market Sizing Forecasts for total figures).
Poland legalised medical cannabis in 2017, introducing a restrictive and highly bureaucratic regulatory framework. This resulted in a slow rollout and supply shortages during the market’s early years. However, since 2022, the market has expanded considerably, driven by:
- A rise in approved products entering the market
- Improved import and distribution logistics
- Decreased product pricing
- Increased physician education and awareness
- Widespread adoption of telemedicine platforms for prescribing
The introduction of commercial cultivation permits in 2022 marked an important milestone, though no active domestic cultivation has begun. The market remains entirely import-dependent.
By late 2024, medical cannabis in Poland had achieved mainstream medical acceptance, but regulatory tightening in November 2024 limited telemedicine prescribing by requiring initial in-person consultations, followed by optional remote follow-ups.
Overall, Poland has evolved into a major European medical cannabis market, characterised by a growing patient base, strong import activity, and rapid institutional uptake.
Regulatory Framework
Medical cannabis in Poland is governed by:
- Law on Preventing Narcotics Addiction (LPNA)
- Pharmaceutical Law Act
- Ministerial regulations issued by the Ministry of Health
Licensing & Oversight:
- Companies must obtain both a business authorisation and a narcotics licence from the Chief Pharmaceutical Inspector (ChPhI) to manufacture, process, import, or distribute medical cannabis.
- Research institutions may cultivate cannabis for scientific and medical purposes under a special permit issued by the ChPhI; only one entity has obtained such a permit to date.
- Medical cannabis products must receive marketing authorisation from the President of the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products (URPL).
- Authorisations are valid for five years.
- Products are approved as raw materials for pharmaceutical use, to be prepared magisterially in pharmacies.
- The application and review process typically takes up to two years, making market entry slow.
Patient Access
Who Can Prescribe?
Any physician licensed to prescribe narcotic substances may prescribe medical cannabis. In practice, the majority of prescribing doctors are specialists in:
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Anaesthesiology
General practitioners, private telehealth providers, and specialised cannabis clinics also prescribe medical cannabis, though initial consultations must now occur in person under the 2024 rules.
Treatable Pathologies:
Poland does not maintain an official list of qualifying conditions, leaving prescribing decisions to physicians’ discretion. Common indications include:
- Cancer-related symptoms and chemotherapy side effects
- Chronic or neuropathic pain
- Autoimmune and inflammatory disorders
- Mental health conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression, PTSD)
- Epilepsy
- Neurological diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease)
Reimbursement:
There is no public reimbursement for medical cannabis in Poland. All treatments are self-funded by patients.
Dispensation:
Medical cannabis prescriptions are fulfilled through pharmacies, which prepare magistral formulations using imported raw material. Dispensed quantities have grown rapidly year-on-year:
| Year | Medical Cannabis Dispensed (grams) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 26,164 |
| 2020 | 67,098 |
| 2021 | 301,238 |
| 2022 | 795,454 |
| 2023 | 2,578,777 |
Source: Centrum e-Zdrowia
This represents a tenfold increase between 2021 and 2023, driven by improved supply chains, lower prices, and the widespread availability of telemedicine prescribing.
Products & Prices
The Polish medical cannabis market is dominated by imported flower products, which account for nearly 80% of available products.
Product Breakdown (March 2025):
- Flowers: 79.4%
- Extracts: 20.6%
Product Availability:
- ~30 authorised flower products on the market
- ~8 authorised extract products (PharmaCann, CanPoland, Aurora, PhytoPur Bio, Vetos Farma)
- ~40 total authorised raw material products (flowers, extracts, vape cartridges)
Average Retail Prices (March 2025):
| Product Type | Avg. Price per Gram (€) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Flower | 12.8 – 13.8 | budcare.pl |
Most products are non-reimbursable, resulting in consistent retail pricing across suppliers.
Product Origin:
- 68% of flowers imported from Portugal
- 32% imported from Canada
- Most products are packaged in Germany prior to export to Poland
Extracts are typically used in magistral preparations, though some pharmacies also produce resin-based and vape formulations.
Imports & Exports
Poland is an import-reliant market, with no active domestic cultivation or processing.
Medical Cannabis Imports (2020–2024):
| Year | Import Volume (kg) |
|---|---|
| 2020 | ~500 |
| 2021 | 1,000 |
| 2022 | 1,650 |
| 2023 | 2,600 |
| 2024 | 7,800 |
Source: Polska Agencja Prasowa
The sharp rise in imports between 2022 and 2024 reflects increased marketing authorisations, improved logistics, and expanded distributor networks. Some imported products are re-exported to smaller EU markets, though re-exports represent a minimal share.
Market Development and Outlook
Poland’s medical cannabis market is entering a mature growth phase, underpinned by:
- A large and growing patient population
- Strong import infrastructure connecting Portugal, Germany, and Canada
- Lower product pricing and broader physician awareness
However, the market still faces structural constraints:
- Slow marketing authorisation process (2+ years)
- Lack of domestic cultivation
- Absence of reimbursement mechanisms
- Stricter telemedicine prescribing regulations (since late 2024)
If domestic cultivation begins and product authorisation processes are streamlined, Poland could become one of Europe’s top five medical cannabis markets by 2029.
