Czechia to expand access to cannabis for chronic pain in 2025

In a landmark move in the field of cannabis legalization in Czechia, starting April 2025 general practitioners (GPs) in the country will be allowed to prescribe medical cannabis to patients with chronic pain. The Ministry of Health announced the change after growing pressure from patients and doctors advocating for broader access.

Currently, only specialized doctors—rather than standard GPs—can prescribe cannabis, which has limited access for many patients. Official data shows about 8,000 people in the Czech Republic need to use cannabis on prescription, but demand is much higher.

A recent survey by the National Drug Monitoring Center revealed that around 600,000 Czechs use cannabis for medical purposes, and over a million have tried it for self-treatment in the past year.

Dr. Petr Šonka, chairman of the Czech Association of General Practitioners, welcomed the change. “It doesn’t make sense that we can prescribe strong opiates like morphine but not medical cannabis,” he told Czech media outlet Novinky.cz. He highlighted its value in managing pain for terminal cancer patients.

The new rules also aim to reduce red tape. Prescriptions will be valid for up to three months, and insurance will continue to cover 90 percent of the cost for up to 30 grams of cannabis per month. Reimbursements for cannabis extracts will also expand. However, patients needing higher doses may still face financial challenges.

Advocates , such as Pavel Kubů, chairman of the Kopac patient association, praised the decision. “This could increase the number of patients using medical cannabis from thousands to tens of thousands,” Kubů said. He noted similarities to Israel, where 150,000 patients use prescribed cannabis.

The decree reflects changing attitudes toward cannabis in the Czech Republic—last year, the government announced plans to legalize cannabis and create a database in which people would need to register to buy the drug. People would then be able to buy up to 5 grams per day. Neighboring Germany in April this year became the ninth country in the world to legalize cannabis.

Although cultivation and personal use remain legally restricted, they are widespread. The new rules are expected to reduce financial and legal barriers for patients relying on cannabis for treatment.