Medical Cannabis Consumption in Czechia Quadruples

According to data published by the State Agency for Medical Cannabis Use (SAKL) in Czechia, the consumption of medical cannabis increased sharply in 2020 compared to 2019. In 2019, patients received 17 kg of medical cannabis, while in 2020, this figure rose to 66.8 kg—almost four times more.

More Doctors and Patients

The number of doctors prescribing medical cannabis also increased, as did the number of patients using it. By the end of 2019, 434 patients were using medical cannabis. By December of the following year, this number had grown to 1,103—about two and a half times more. The number of doctors prescribing cannabis rose from 78 at the end of 2019 to 123 a year later.

Doctors issued 4,145 prescriptions for medical cannabis in 2019, averaging about 345 per month. In 2020, they wrote 14,167 prescriptions, or about 1,181 per month on average.

Insurance Coverage Drives Growth

According to doctors, this increase is largely due to a new policy introduced last year, which covers 90% of the cost of medical cannabis through health insurance. Previously, patients complained about the high price, as the product was imported from abroad.

Legalization and Future Plans

Medical cannabis was legalized in Czechia in 2013, but it only became available in pharmacies two years later. Currently, SAKL has a contract with one Czech producer. An amendment approved by the government last year, which is awaiting discussion in parliament, would allow licenses for cultivation to be granted to several suppliers and would make it possible to export medical cannabis abroad in the future.