medical cannabis patient numbers in the United Kingdom are set to exceed 140,000 by the end of 2026, driven by rising imports, broader product availability, and rapid private-sector growth, according to Prohibition Partners’ UK Medical Cannabis Market Update 2026.
Key metrics from the report – Total imports of cannabis-based medical products (CBPM) reached 30,061 kg in 2025, more than double the 14,992 kg imported in 2024. This marks the second consecutive year of more-than-100% import growth. – The number of distinct products available to patients climbed from 374 to 818 in 12 months. Dried flower formats account for about 80% of available products; vaporizer and spray formats show the fastest growth rates. – Prohibition Partners projects patient numbers rising from roughly 100,000 in 2025 to over 140,000 in 2026. – Canadian exports to the UK grew from 2.58 metric tons in 2024 to 17.07 metric tons in 2025. Including goods routed via intermediary countries such as Portugal, Canada now supplies an estimated 70–80% of medical cannabis sold in Britain.
Market structure and patient access Access to medical cannabis in the UK remains concentrated in the private sector. More than 40 private clinics operate nationally, and telemedicine platforms issue an estimated 80% of prescriptions via fewer than a dozen large providers. The report compares this model to trends already seen in Germany, Poland and Australia.
“It is no longer a niche, marginal market,” said Alexander Khourdaji, senior analyst and lead author of the report. “Canada now supplies the vast majority of the cannabis prescribed to British patients, and the number of people with access to treatment is growing faster than almost anyone had anticipated.”
Supply dynamics: imports versus domestic production Domestic cultivation supplied about 14% of the UK medical cannabis market in 2025. Prohibition Partners expects UK-grown production volumes to more than triple by 2030, but forecasts domestic market share could fall to about 9% if imports continue to expand at the current rate.
Canadian producers increased their share while several traditional exporters lost ground. Spain, which supplied over 50% of the British market in 2023, accounted for just 11% of imports by the end of 2025. Australia and North Macedonia also saw market share declines.
British growers face bottlenecks in processing capacity. Companies such as Glass Pharms, Dalgety and Celadon are expanding cultivation, but none currently hold all authorizations needed to convert harvests into finished medicinal products. Growers depend on a small number of specialized processors to move material from Annex 1 into Annex 2 medicines, adding cost and time to the supply chain.
Pricing and margins Competition and rising supply pushed prices lower during 2025. Average flower prices fell from £7.10 per gram to £6.80 per gram. Vaping products recorded drops exceeding 20% in average price. Prohibition Partners forecasts average flower prices could approach £6 per gram by 2030.
These price declines compress margins for producers. Firms that integrate cultivation and processing operations should see lower unit costs and better control over margins than those that outsource processing.
Regulatory attention and potential review Regulators are increasing scrutiny of the sector. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has raised concerns about prescribing practices at some private clinics. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) plans a formal review of the UK medical cannabis market in 2026 or 2027, with a likely focus on telemedicine-prescribing practices.
Changes in prescribing rules have produced large swings in patient numbers and sales in other countries, and the ACMD review could materially alter the UK market’s trajectory.
What this means now – Patient access is expanding quickly through private clinics and telemedicine platforms rather than the National Health Service. – Imports, led by Canadian producers, supply the majority of product and are growing faster than domestic production. – Product choice has more than doubled, but dried flower still makes up most listings. – Prices are falling, pressuring producers to lower costs or integrate processing to preserve margins. – Regulatory reviews scheduled for 2026–27 could change prescribing patterns and market size.
The UK market shows rapid growth in volumes, product variety and patient numbers, with key drivers concentrated in cross-border supply and private-sector prescribing. Companies that resolve processing constraints and reduce unit costs will be better placed to compete if prices continue toward forecast levels and regulatory rules tighten.
