This report takes an in-depth look at the progress of cannabis legalisation across Europe, the trade flows on the continent, the business opportunities, the medical products on the market and the patients who use them. We also consider how COVID-19 has affected the market in Europe and what this means for the year ahead.

2020 was a huge year for cannabis in Europe and around the globe. The fourth quarter of 2020 in particular saw several important developments. In November, the European Court of Justice ruled that CBD is not to be considered a narcotic substance under EU Law. Weeks later, the UN finally recognised the medical potential of cannabis by removing the plant and its derivatives from Schedule IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

We estimate that over 60,000 people were able to access cannabis medications for the first time in Europe during 2020, bringing the total to 185,000 patients accessing medical cannabis treatment in the region during the year. Overall, we estimate the value of the market for medical cannabis to be worth €230.7 million as of the end of 2020. Further, we expect the value of European cannabis to grow with a CAGR of 67.4%, to reach €3.2 billion in 2025. Our approach to forecasting the European cannabis industry has its foundation in the database of historical data points (sales, patients, volumes, imports, prices etc.), available in Atalis.

As the patient access to medical cannabis advances across Europe, so too do the opportunities for businesses to embed themselves in niches of the value chain, before the market becomes more established. The European Cannabis Report: Sixth Edition is designed to support businesses in doing so, along with the conferences offered by Prohibition Partners Live as well as our Consulting services for cannabis and psychedelic ventures.