As of April 1, all licensed doctors in the Czech Republic are allowed to prescribe medical marijuana to patients experiencing chronic pain. Previously, this option was limited to specialists.
As of April 1, all licensed doctors in the Czech Republic are now allowed to prescribe medical marijuana to patients experiencing chronic pain. Previously, this option was limited to specialists, making access far more restricted.
Cannabis has been legal for medical use in the country since 2015, but only around 250 doctors had prescribed it by the end of 2024. That’s expected to change significantly with this new regulation, which opens the door for general practitioners to authorize cannabis as an alternative to powerful opioids like morphine and fentanyl.
In 2024 alone, over 320 kilograms of medical cannabis were prescribed—more than one-third of the total distributed since the program began. In 2021, the number was just over 100 kilograms, showing rapid growth as awareness and access improve.
Health insurers in the country have covered up to 90% of the cost since 2020, reimbursing patients for up to 30 grams per month. In 2022, nearly 3,200 patients received coverage totaling CZK 17.2 million.
The new law also allows patients under 18 with incurable or cancer-related conditions to access marijuana as part of long-term or palliative care.
General practitioners will still be limited to prescribing cannabis only for chronic pain. For conditions such as Parkinson’s-related tremors, multiple sclerosis, nausea from chemotherapy, or Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, patients will still need to see a specialist.
