From tighter telemedicine rules to evolving product frameworks, as global medical cannabis markets mature, many are entering a more cautious phase as we head into 2026.
After a broadly optimistic and reform-driven 2024, this year saw momentum begin to shift once again for the global medical cannabis sector.
In many markets, like the Czech Republic or the US, promising legislative reforms have been stalled, while other markets like Germany and Australia are under threat of inching backwards. However, Trump’s signing of an Executive Order to reschedule cannabis to a Schedule III drug last week – acknowledging its medical value – saw the year end on a high for many stakeholders who are optimistic about the potential impact of this on global policy.
As we wrap up 2025, the team at Prohibition Partners turned their attention to the year ahead and shared their thoughts on how things will shape up for medical cannabis in 2026.
Telemedicine: The engine of growth and scrutiny
Telemedicine has become the main channel for patient access in the world’s largest medical cannabis markets. Its use has become a significant driver of growth in markets including Australia, Germany, and the UK as it connects patients with doctors comfortable prescribing medical cannabis, which remains few and far between globally. Additionally, a prescription can be obtained from the comfort of their own home.
The ease of access to cannabis, combined with questionable marketing practices by some platforms and a lack of oversight, has become a contentious issue in Australia and Germany. Politicians and health officials in both countries are raising concerns that these platforms are being used by recreational users to access cannabis. As a result, there are plans to restrict telemedicine in Germany, and discussions are ongoing in Australia.
Source: Prohibition Partners, 2025
Prohibition Partners’ Senior Analyst Alex Khourdaji predicts that ‘telemedicine restrictions are bound to occur in Germany and could be seen in Australia in 2026’.
Veteran market analyst Alfredo Pascual added: “Germany enters 2026 with a clear risk of regulatory tightening in medical cannabis, even if the exact timing and final shape of the rules remain uncertain.
“The draft legislation on the table as of late 2025 is quite drastic on paper, particularly in its attempt to curb high-volume telemedicine models and pharmacy delivery to patients. At the same time, the legislative process has already revealed material enforcement gaps. The Cabinet rejected the Bundesrat’s push to shut down cross-border EU prescriptions, effectively preserving a key access channel for now, while the proposed delivery restrictions still lack clear, practical penalty mechanisms”.
Khourdaji believes that, regardless of the end result, these restrictions should serve as a warning for other markets.
“Depending on the level of regulation, we can expect a significant short-term drop in global demand, as these are the two largest medical markets outside North America. These restrictions will not only have a severe impact on the commercial size of the market but will be detrimental for patients, especially those who live in rural areas and have debilitating conditions.
“These restrictions should serve as a warning to other markets to self-regulate teleclinics.”
*Top 5 clinics were selected based on the number of monthly site visitors for October 2025. Visitor numbers do not automatically translate to prescriptions or patients.
Source: Similar Web & Prohibition Partners 2025
The future of flower
Ben Stevens, Editor of Business of Cannabis, notes that while raw flower remains king, 2026 could see its dominance begin to wane.
“As we continue to see a tightening of restrictions on medical cannabis frameworks throughout Europe, a lot of the negative attention is now being placed on flower as a category,” he said.
“In the UK, products transplanted directly from the North American adult-use markets into the private medical market are already drawing concern from regulators over their names and branding. Similarly, in Germany, Drug Commissioner Hendrik Streek recently suggested that banning flowers could be a route the government considered in its medical cannabis pushback. Meanwhile, emerging markets like France and Spain are launching without flower offered at all.”
Stevens suggests these dynamics will drive greater interest in alternative product formats. Purkiss delves further, suggesting France’s non-flower, pharmaceutically-focused plans could act as a new template for future reform.
“The launch of France’s new medical cannabis production and treatment structure has the potential to provide an alternative template for countries looking to establish medical cannabis frameworks within their healthcare systems,” he said.
“The French model is more integrated into the existing pharmaceutical production and clinical treatment landscape in the country than is the case in other large patient markets. It remains to be seen how quickly domestic production partnerships can create products which are acceptable for patients, doctors, and regulators.”
UK: Steady growth, persistent gaps
Sarah Sinclair, Editor of Cannabis Health, expects continued but measured expansion in the UK market.
“Patient numbers will continue to grow steadily in the UK, and we’ll see more clinicians expressing interest in medical cannabis, but prescriber numbers will remain low compared to demand,” Sinclair said.
As with Germany and Australia, she expects some incoming regulatory pushback, though just like the UK’s comparative growth, more muted.
“While we await the findings of the ACMD review, I think we’ll see increased engagement from UK regulators such as the CQC and the General Pharmaceutical Council with the sector, as it faces greater scrutiny in line with growing patient numbers.”
Sinclair also highlighted emerging legal challenges around patient access. “As access expands, legal cases related to drug-driving offences and employment tribunals will also become more prevalent, and it will become harder for policymakers to ignore major gaps related to CBPMs, particularly in relation to driving and workplace drug-testing. How employers should manage this, and how to accurately measure impairment, will become an increasingly important part of the conversation, with some professional bodies in the occupational health space, for example, currently reported to be reviewing their guidelines.”
Marketing’s medical turn
The sector’s positioning and communications strategies are set to continue evolving away from lifestyle branding toward medical framing, according to Michael Hoban, Head of Marketing & Communications at Prohibition Partners.
“As the cannabis industry continues to mature at speed, marketing budgets will face heightened scrutiny throughout 2026,” Hoban noted.
“Maximising ROI has become a central priority for industry leaders and marketers alike, replacing the traditional ‘use it or lose it’ approach that once dominated budgeting cycles. Today, every pound or dollar spent must be supported by clear, measurable outcomes, making demonstrable ROI not just desirable—but essential for strategic decision-making and accelerated growth.”
He also expects the medical positioning to accelerate in tandem. “As more European countries expand medical cannabis programmes and patient access, the market will continue to lean more toward medicine and wellness, rather than lifestyle/recreational. Although this lean is already underway, next year there’ll be even more room for marketing to shift—from alternative medicine to part of standardised healthcare, reinforced by the latest clinical evidence, patient case studies, and prescriber education.”
As markets mature, Hoban believes narrative will play an increasing role in cannabis marketing.
“Putting people and their stories front and center creates a level of authenticity that truly resonates with audiences. By showcasing growers, patients, innovators, and community advocates, marketeers can highlight the real voices shaping the industry and build deeper emotional connections with their audience. These powerful narratives don’t just humanise a brand—they position a brand as a thought leader, elevating it far beyond being just another product on the shelf or another ancillary service.”
Rob Dale, Digital Marketing Manager at Prohibition Partners, noted that search behaviour reflects this medical shift.
“In 2026 Cannabis marketing and content will continue to move away from the ‘stoner’ content further towards science-based content,” Dale said.
“Search for casual terms such as ‘weed’ and ‘marijuana’ decrease, whilst ‘delta-9 THC’, ‘THCa’ and ‘CBN’ have seen massive growth and continue to become more popular.”
