Legal Status of Cannabis in Europe

LOS ANGELES- A growing number of European countries now permit the use, cultivation or sale of cannabis under regulated conditions, driven by evolving public policy and emerging economic opportunity. Germany legalized limited recreational use on April 1, 2024, allowing adults to carry up to 25 g, grow three plants at home and join non-profit social clubs capped at 500 members since July 1, 2024. Malta became the first EU country to fully legalize recreational cannabis in December 2021, permitting adult possession of up to 7 g, cultivation of up to four plants per household, and operation of non-profit cannabis social clubs . Luxembourg followed with a law effective July 21, 2023, allowing adults to grow four plants per household and use cannabis at home, though public sale remains prohibited.

In addition to recreational frameworks, several European countries maintain medical cannabis programs and regulated pilot markets. Germany’s removal of cannabis from its narcotics list has enabled broader medical prescriptions, boosting import volumes—approximately 72 t in 2024—with medical sales becoming more competitive than illicit supply. Meanwhile, nations like Malta, Luxembourg and Switzerland continue to expand therapeutic access under controlled conditions, and countries such as the Netherlands and Switzerland are testing regulated systems, including pilot clubs and state-managed dispensaries. This regulatory patchwork across Europe reflects a cautious yet forward‑leaning approach, balancing public health, criminal justice and sector growth.