Poland Medical only
Recreational use is fully illegal with no decriminalization law passed. The medical program, however, is large and established — over 105,000 patients as of 2026.
Legal Framework
Recreational cannabis remains fully illegal in Poland. No decriminalization law has been passed, and production, import, and sale of non-fibrous (drug-type) cannabis are prohibited outside the licensed medical supply chain (see CMS Expert Guides).
Medical Cannabis Program
Poland legalized medical cannabis on 1 November 2017, and the program has grown into one of the larger medical cannabis markets in the EU, with more than 100,000 patients as of 2026 (some sources cite figures around 105,000). Any physician licensed to prescribe narcotics can prescribe medical cannabis — in practice this is most often specialists in neurology, oncology, or anesthesiology, but general practitioners and dedicated medical cannabis clinics also prescribe. There is no official government list of approved qualifying conditions; the decision rests with the prescribing physician's clinical judgment (see Business of Cannabis). For a resident patient, the practical steps are: register with a clinic (often online), attend an in-person consultation costing roughly 200-400 PLN, and receive an e-prescription if there are no contraindications; the prescription can then be filled at nearly any pharmacy. The whole process, from first booking to receiving medication, typically takes a few days to about three weeks (see Ubucha). Medical cannabis is not reimbursed by Polish public health insurance, so patients pay the full cost themselves. In November 2024, the Ministry of Health restricted telemedicine for this program: the initial examination must now be conducted in person, with remote follow-up consultations allowed only after that first in-person visit (see Cannabis Regulations AI).
Traveling with Medical Cannabis
We could not find an official Polish government rule that specifically addresses foreign medical cannabis patients bringing their own prescribed cannabis into Poland. As with other Schengen states, the general Article 75 certificate mechanism exists in principle for travelers carrying prescribed narcotic or psychotropic medicines for up to 30 days, completed by the treating physician in the home country, but no Polish source confirms that this is applied to cannabis-based medicines in practice. Because the Polish program itself requires an in-person examination by a Polish-registered physician before any prescription is issued, there is no shortcut for a visiting patient to obtain medication locally on short notice, and no confirmed pathway to use a foreign prescription at a Polish pharmacy. Patients should treat this as an open question and seek specific guidance from a Polish clinic or pharmacy before traveling with cannabis medication.
Recent Developments
The November 2024 telemedicine restriction caused a temporary dip in prescriptions and dispensing volumes, but the market recovered through 2025 as more specialized in-person medical cannabis clinics opened in cities such as Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw; pharmacies dispensed roughly 5,447 kg of medical cannabis in 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is recreational cannabis legal in Poland? No, it remains fully illegal with no decriminalization.
- How does a resident get a medical cannabis prescription? Through an in-person consultation with a licensed physician or cannabis clinic, followed by an e-prescription filled at a pharmacy, paid out of pocket.
- Can a foreign patient use a home-country prescription in a Polish pharmacy? No confirmed pathway exists; expect to need a new, in-person Polish medical evaluation.
- Can I bring my own prescribed medical cannabis into Poland? No official rule was found either permitting or explicitly forbidding this for travelers; treat it as unresolved and seek specific advice before traveling.