Globally, there has been more movement in the medical cannabis market in the last year than the entire previous five-year period. Canada has rewritten the history books of exports, Germany increased patient access after legalisation and telemedicine became the preferred method for most medical cannabis patients worldwide.
The Global Medical Cannabis Market Review 2026 captures all of this in one free-to-download report. The report is Prohibition Partners’ most comprehensive look at international export markets, patient markets, and other markets. Its data is shaping investment and commercial decisions in the cannabis industry.
These five facts are worth considering.
1. Canada exported 275,343kg of medical cannabis in 2025 — more than every other country combined
The current landscape of exports can be defined by this number. Canadian medical marijuana exports have grown by 250% per year and are expected to reach 275.343kg by 2025. This is a huge amount of cannabis. No other nation exports anything close, individually or collectively.
This is due to a structural advantage: Canada’s mature adult-use domestic market gives licensed producers in Canada scale, infrastructure and cost efficiency that competitors from Israel, Portugal and other exporting nations cannot duplicate. This report examines the impact of this dominance on producers along the entire global supply chain.
2. Germany’s Medical Cannabis Market grew by 155% in the last year to $997 millions.
Germany now has the biggest medical cannabis market outside North America. It is estimated that this market will be worth $997,000,000 by 2025. That represents 155% year-on-year growth — a direct consequence of regulatory changes that removed cannabis from the narcotics schedule and simplified prescribing pathways.
This has led to a substantial increase in the number of prescriptions written, an expanding network of 35 teleclinics and a influx of commercial operators. Anyone evaluating European opportunities will find that Germany sets the standard. Our European cannabis markets coverage provides broader context on how Germany’s trajectory compares to its European peers.
3. The UK market doubled to $298 million — and the growth trajectory is steepening
Market growth in the UK is estimated to be 104% per year, reaching $298million by 2025. Patients continue to increase in number, thanks to 29 teleclinics that have been identified. There is also an increasing level of awareness between clinicians and their patients.
From a commercial standpoint, the UK’s rapid pace of development is what makes it so interesting. It is amazing that a market which barely existed 5 years ago has become the 2nd largest medical cannabis market in Europe behind Germany. This report explores what is driving the growth of this market, including product pricing and the competition among clinic operators.
Together, Germany and the UK account for the vast majority of European medical cannabis market activity. Any operator or investor who has a European-based strategy must understand both.
4. Telemedicine now dominates the access to healthcare in major patient markets
Teleclinics that are dedicated to cannabis have been the most popular way for patients in Australia (47), Germany (35), UK (29), Brazil (23) and Brazil (47). This is not an isolated trend. In the majority of major markets, Telemedicine has become the norm.
This pattern is strikingly consistent. Each market experiences a proliferation in digital clinics, which are then followed by consolidation when a few dominant players gain the majority of patient base. This report maps out this trend across four continents and identifies the emerging market structures.
Understanding the landscape of telemedicine is crucial for product distributors and manufacturers. The platforms are increasingly influencing which products are prescribed and how patients are welcomed, as well as where the value is accrued in the supply chains.
5. Portugal becomes a center for processing, not a primary producer
Portugal is regarded for many years as Europe’s top medical cannabis producing country. Data now paints a much more nuanced picture. Portugal will likely be a net exporter in 2025 of medical marijuana despite its significant volume. The country is increasingly functioning as a processing and re-exportation hub — importing bulk cannabis (predominantly from Canada), processing it, and exporting finished products into European patient markets.
This structural shift has significant implications for the European supply chain and for cultivators who have invested in Portuguese production capacity on the assumption that domestic cultivation would be the primary value driver.
Next up
Global Medical Cannabis Market Review 2026 includes detailed analyses of Australia, Israel Brazil Poland Thailand and France. The report is available for free download, and it provides professionals with the intelligence they need to make strategic decisions.
For those who require more granular data — market sizing forecasts through to 2030, product-level pricing analysis, and competitive intelligence — Prohibition Partners has developed dedicated data packages for the UK and Germany.
Global Medical Cannabis Market Review, 2026.