Greece Medical only

Legal Framework

Recreational cannabis use, sale, and possession are fully illegal in Greece. Products with THC above 0.2% are treated as narcotics, and possession for personal use can carry a prison sentence of up to 5 months, although Greek courts have discretion to leave an isolated first-time personal-use case unpunished, sometimes substituting a counseling program instead of custody. Quantities consistent with dealing or trafficking are prosecuted as a felony, with prison terms of up to 8 years and fines as high as EUR 300,000 (see Cannigma). Hemp and CBD products with THC at or below 0.2% are legal and widely available. There is no formal decriminalization threshold as in some neighboring countries — sentencing for any amount above the CBD limit is left to judicial discretion.

Medical Cannabis Program

Greece passed a medical cannabis law in 2017, but the program took years to become operational: the first medical cannabis products were actually dispensed to patients on 19 February 2024, alongside a new e-prescription system, with prescriptions valid for around 30 days (see Business of Cannabis). Only specific specialists may prescribe — anesthesiologists, neurologists, and physicians specializing in oncology, infectious disease, or rheumatology — and generally only after conventional treatments have failed, are poorly tolerated, or are clinically unsuitable. Recognized indications include chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-related nausea and vomiting, nausea linked to combination therapy for HIV or hepatitis C, chronic pain, spasticity from multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury, appetite loss in palliative care, and some rheumatological conditions (see Prohibition Partners). The program is regulated by the National Organisation for Medicines (EOF). Treatment is not reimbursed by public health insurance, so patients cover the full cost themselves. A 2024 reform round expanded the range of authorized prescriber specialties and simplified some administrative steps.

Traveling with Medical Cannabis

This is the most important point for any patient planning a trip to Greece: Greece does not recognize foreign medical cannabis prescriptions, and there is no legal pathway to bring prescribed cannabis into the country — not flower, not oil, and not with full documentation from a home-country doctor or pharmacy. Some other prescribed narcotic medicines can travel within the Schengen area for up to 30 days under an Article 75 certificate completed by the treating physician (see Fimea), but cannabis-based medicines are not treated as reliably covered by that mechanism in Greece, and importing them risks confiscation at customs and potential prosecution under the same narcotics law that applies to recreational cannabis. There is no "bring your own supply" exception for tourists, medical travelers, or short-term visitors of any kind. The only legal route for a visiting patient is to obtain an entirely new prescription from a Greek-licensed specialist, which requires an in-person clinical evaluation inside Greece under the criteria described above — not a process that can be arranged for a short holiday or business trip.

Recent Developments

The February 2024 launch of actual dispensing, combined with the 2024 expansion of eligible prescriber categories and administrative streamlining, marked the shift of Greece's medical cannabis framework from law-on-paper to a functioning, if narrow, program. Going into 2026, the system remains small, specialist-gated, and entirely out-of-pocket, and there is no public indication that recognition of foreign prescriptions or a travel exception for medical cannabis patients is under consideration.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I bring my prescribed medical cannabis into Greece? No. Do not attempt this under any circumstances. Greece does not recognize foreign prescriptions and has no legal import allowance for personal medical use.
• Can I get a prescription as a visitor? Only in theory: it requires an in-person evaluation by a Greek specialist and typically follows documented failure of conventional treatment, which is not realistic to arrange during a short visit.
• Is CBD legal to buy or carry? Yes, hemp and CBD products with THC at or below 0.2% are legal.
• What are the penalties for personal-use possession? Up to 5 months in prison, though courts may waive punishment for an isolated first offense; amounts consistent with trafficking carry much harsher felony penalties of up to 8 years and large fines.