Malta Cannabis Market, Medical

In 2015, Malta decriminalized cannabis. On January 15, 2018 the Production of Cannabis for Medicinal and Research Purposes Act was introduced by the Honorable Chris Cardona, M.P., Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses, to permit the local industrial production of cannabis products for medical use in the context of a controlled and supervised environment. The amendments to the Drug Dependence Act (Treatment not Imprisonment) were enacted on the 26 March by Maltese parliament.

The law permits doctors to prescribe cannabis to patients suffering from chronic pain, spasticity in multiple sclerosis and side effects of chemotherapy. Patients are only permitted to use non-smoking forms of cannabis-derived products once they obtain a card showing they’ve been approved by Malta’s the Superintendent of Public Health.

Products must be consistently produced and controlled in accordance with the quality standards appropriate to their intended use and in line with the current Good Manufacturing Production (GMP) guidelines published by the European Union Commission. The licensed site shall be inspected by the regulatory authority, as deemed necessary, to attest European Union Good Manufacturing Practice (EU-GMP) compliance.

Whether local or overseas, cultivation of cannabis to be subsequently manufactured on Malta, must be in accordance with Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP), backed by a documented quality system.

As of February 2025, 32 medicinal cannabis-based products have been approved for the local market.

Malta Cannabis Market, Adult-use

In December 2021, Malta became the first country in Europe to legalize adult-use cannabis. Adults are allowed to carry up to seven grams of cannabis and grow no more than four plants at home. Up to 50 grams of dried cannabis may be stored. Smoking it in public or in front of children is illegal.

In May 2025, the Parliament of Malta approved Bill 128 which, in addition to other changes, establishes a fine of up to €235 for public consumption of recreational cannabis or its consumption in any place where “the [smell] causes a nuisance to third parties” – this includes complaints from neighbors if an individual is consuming cannabis in their private residence.

It is also legal to establish cannabis social clubs (called Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations), organized as non-profit cooperatives, that can grow cannabis for distribution to up to 500 members, up to a maximum of 7 g (¼ oz) per day and 50 g (1¾ oz) per month per member. Malta’s Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) is responsible for the regulation of Cannabis Harm Reduction Association licenses. Before being distributed to members, cannabis must be tested by the ARUC.

In October 2023, two non-profit associations were granted the first licenses to legally grow and distribute cannabis, and three more entities had received approval by the end of the year. A total of 750 people have joined three legal cannabis clubs, each of which began distributing cannabis at the end of January 2024.

As of November 2025, there were 22 licensed Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations (CHRAs). In August 2024, it was estimated that only around 2,000 members were registered in cannabis social clubs in Malta. With the Facebook group Malta Cannabis Social Club having nearly 10,000 members, there is plenty of demand to be satisfied.

How to Start a Cannabis Business in Malta?