Cannabis Legalization

In 2015, the personal cultivation and use of cannabis in private spaces was decriminalized in Spain and non-profit cannabis social clubs were allowed to be established in the country. Several regions have tried to regulate cannabis social clubs, including Catalonia which introduced its regulations in 2017, but these regulations were overruled by the Spanish Supreme Court in 2021. This did not stop the clubs’ popularity and some of them continued to operate after switching from a cannabis club license to a private social club license. As a result, cannabis social clubs currently operate in a legal grey area. In early 2024, the City Council in Barcelona stated that it intends to close cannabis social clubs in the city.

Though the 2022 deadline was not met, the Ministry of Health did publish a draft royal decree on 30 September, 2024. The decree proposes the following regulations for Spain’s medical cannabis industry:

• Only specialist doctors will be allowed to prescribe medical cannabis for a limited number of qualifying conditions which include:
  • Spasticity in multiple sclerosis
  • Severe forms of refractory epilepsy
  • Nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy
  • Refractory chronic pain
• Medical cannabis preparations will be dispensed only from hospital pharmacies, not all pharmacies.
• Medical cannabis will be available in “master formulas” made from extracts and standardized preparations which will comply with regulations established by the AEMPS.
• Medical cannabis in flower form will remain illegal.

Expecting future legalization, the Spanish Medical Cannabis Association (AECAME) has been established.

Currently, there are only two authorized medical cannabis products in Spain: Sativex and Epidolex.

Even though medicinal cannabis has not yet been legalized in Spain, the AEMPS does grant licenses that allow the cultivation, processing and transportation of medical cannabis for certain activities which include research and export. Initially, the cannabis produced by holders of this license could not be made available to patients in Spain – it could only be exported – but after recent regulatory developments Spanish patients now also have access to medical cannabis.

On October 7, 2025, the Council of Ministers approved the Royal Decree proposed by the Ministry of Health, which regulates the use of standardized master formulas made from standardized cannabis preparations for medicinal use. The Royal Decree establishes that the authorized clinical uses, specific conditions for preparation, dosage, and prescription, will be outlined in the monographs published within three months by the AEMPS. Formulations can be prescribed only by specialist physicians in a hospital setting and can only be prepared in authorized hospital pharmacy services in accordance with the Correct Preparation Standards and the technical criteria defined in the National Formulary.

The decree also establishes a public registry, managed by the AEMPS, where all standardized cannabis preparations used to create master formulas will be registered. These products must have a specific composition of THC and CBD as well as comply with manufacturing, traceability, and quality requirements. Preparations that contain more than 0.2% THC must undergo additional inspection.

Cannabis Social Club License

A cannabis social club establishment in Spain is a non-profit association that allows its members to cultivate cannabis for use by members only. The objectives of a cannabis social club must be stated in their statutes and the objectives should include:

• Self-sufficiency and distribution of cannabis among members for private consumption.
• Risk prevention and reduction of harm associated with certain uses of cannabis.
• Quality control of cannabis during production and distribution to members.

Cannabis social club member eligibility criteria include:

• Be 18 years old or above.
• Be a cannabis consumer.
• Have the endorsement of another member. However, the endorsement is not required for individuals who choose to use cannabis for justified therapeutic needs.
• A signed document stating that the individual knows the objectives of the cannabis social club and the duties that they have as its member.

Cannabis social clubs must:

• Not exceed the annual production limit of 150kg of dry flower.
• Obtain an expert technical report on each crop, prepared by an external agronomist with a degree in agricultural engineering or an equivalent degree, that ensures the crop forecasts comply with the agreed consumption forecasts.
• Carry out reviews every six months to adapt production levels to meet the members’ demand, up to a maximum amount of 60g per month per member or, for members aged between 18 and 21, 20g per month per member. However, if consumption is for therapeutic reasons, the amount of cannabis available to members can exceed the limit.
• Store cannabis under hygienic, environmental and safe conditions.

However, since in 2021 the Spanish Supreme Court overturned these regulations governing cannabis social clubs, the clubs now operate in a legal grey area. Moreover, Barcelona’s City Council stated in early 2024 that it plans to close cannabis social clubs in the city.

Which Countries Allow Cannabis Social Clubs?

Cannabis Cultivation License

A license can be obtained from AEMPS in order to be able to cultivate cannabis for:

• Research purposes.
• Production and/or manufacturing of cannabis or cannabis products for medical and scientific purposes.
• Obtaining batches necessary for the validation of the manufacturing process of narcotic active ingredients for medical purposes.

The forms outlining the basic information and documents that must be submitted to apply for a cultivation license can be found on the AEMPS website. The information that must be submitted will include at minimum the following:

• Company’s identification information.
• Description of the purpose of the crops and the activities to be carried out.
• Estimated plots and area to be cultivated.
• Information regarding the starting material.
• Description of the destination and purpose of the cannabis and the products intended to be obtained.
• Information on the authorized manufacturer to whom the harvest will be delivered and who will be responsible for processing it.
• Description of the facilities.
• Description of the safety measures in place.

Spanish Cannabis Market

The Spanish Ministry of Health must inform the International Narcotics Board of the United Nations every year of the projected cannabis output in Spain. In 2018, only around 400 kilograms of medical cannabis were produced. In 2021, Spain this increased to around 600kg. In 2022, Spain’s output of medical cannabis increased by 10 times to 6,000kg. The rapid increase in output continued in 2023 with 23,425kg of medical cannabis produced – this is an increase of more than 350%. Over 80% of this amount was exported. It was estimated that Spain would produce 36,000kg of medical cannabis in 2024. Based on data from the International Narcotics Control Board, Spain is the seventh largest producer of medical cannabis in the world.

As of August 2025, there were 18 licensees of which 8 cultivate cannabis for research purposes. This is 80% more cultivation licensees than in 2019.

In 2019, Alcaliber became the first Spanish company to receive a license from the AEMPS to cultivate cannabis on an area of 1,086 hectares.

Cannabis social clubs in Spain are estimated to serve more than 4 million users and attract around 6.6 to 12.4 million tourist consumers annually. Approximately 70% of Spain’s cannabis social clubs are located in Catalonia.

A 2021 survey found that 90.1% of Spanish citizens are in favor of legalizing medical cannabis and 49.7% would be in favor of legalizing it for recreational use as well.

According to the latest Survey on Alcohol and Other Drugs in Spain, published by the Ministry of Health, in 2024 around 43.7% of the population aged 15-64 have used cannabis at least once in their lifetime, 12.6% (an increase from 10.6% in 2022) have used it in the last 12 months, and 10.5% (an increase from 8.6%) have used it in the last month.

Calculations from the UAB Faculty of Psychology in 2018 estimate that the total economic potential of a legalized cannabis market in Spain could be equal to €8.5 billion annually.

Source: cannabusinessplans.eu

Spain Medical Cannabis Infographics

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