Malta Legal

Legal Framework

Malta became the first European Union country to legalize personal-use cannabis when its reform law took effect in December 2021. Adults aged 18 and over may possess up to 7 grams of cannabis outside the home, store up to 50 grams of dried cannabis at their residence, and cultivate up to 4 plants for personal use (see LegalClarity). Public consumption remains illegal for everyone. Unlike a commercial retail model, distribution is only permitted through non-profit Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations (CHRAs) — there are no cannabis shops or dispensaries in Malta. The number of licensed CHRAs has grown quickly: from 19 associations holding active permits in April 2025 to 22 by February 2026, with further applications under review (see GrowerIQ). Each association is capped at 500 members, and members may receive up to 7 grams per day and 50 grams per month; members under 21 are restricted to products under 18% THC.

Medical Cannabis Program

Malta's medical cannabis rules sit in a completely separate legal track from the personal-use law: the Production of Cannabis for Medicinal and Research Purposes Act, passed in 2018. This framework was designed primarily as an economic and industrial policy — allowing licensed operators to produce and export medical-grade cannabis to markets such as Germany, subject to Malta Enterprise approval and Medicines Authority licensing — rather than as a patient-access program for Maltese residents (see Vicente LLP). That said, any licensed medical practitioner in Malta can prescribe cannabis-based medicine, generally non-smokable forms, for conditions such as chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and chemotherapy side effects when no suitable alternative exists, with dispensing through pharmacies.

Traveling with Medical Cannabis

Malta's permissive personal-use law does not extend to visitors. Membership in a Cannabis Harm Reduction Association is restricted to legal residents who can present a Maltese government-issued ID or residence card; tourists and short-term visitors are explicitly barred from joining, and associations that admit them risk losing their license (see Cannabis Law Report). That means a visiting patient has no legal domestic source of cannabis in Malta at all — clubs are off-limits, and there are no retail shops. We could not find any official Maltese government statement confirming that foreign patients are permitted to bring their own prescribed cannabis into the country. Given that the entire personal-use and club framework is explicitly built around registered residents, and public consumption is illegal for everyone regardless of nationality, visiting patients should treat carrying cannabis medication into Malta as legally unresolved and should not assume the same tolerance shown to resident club members would apply to them.

Recent Developments

The steady growth of the CHRA network — from 19 to 22 licensed associations between 2025 and early 2026, with more applications pending — shows the personal-use framework continuing to mature for residents (see Business of Cannabis). There is no indication of any parallel expansion toward tourist access, and Malta's medical cannabis export sector has reportedly seen export volumes to Germany decline somewhat in 2024-2025 relative to earlier peak years.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can tourists buy cannabis or join a club in Malta? No. Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations require proof of Maltese residency; tourists are explicitly excluded.
• Is it legal for a visitor to simply possess cannabis in Malta? This is legally uncertain territory — the personal-use law and its possession allowances were built around residents, and visitors have no legal way to obtain cannabis domestically.
• Can I bring my own prescribed medical cannabis? No official confirmation exists either way; treat this as an unresolved legal risk rather than an allowed practice.
• Is Malta a cannabis tourism destination? No. There are no retail shops, tourists cannot join clubs, and public consumption is illegal for everyone.