More and more doctors in the Czech Republic are prescribing medical cannabis. In the first nine months of 2025, the number of prescriptions issued rose to more than 41,000; on average, around 3,800 patients per month use this form of therapy.
From January to September 2025, more than 41,000 prescriptions for medical cannabis were issued in the Czech Republic. This is according to September data from the State Institute for Drug Control (SÚKL). A total of 296 doctors, including both specialists and, since April, general practitioners, are authorised to prescribe this form of therapy.
The new regulation from the Ministry of Health, which came into force on 1 April 2025, now allows general practitioners to prescribe cannabis as medicine. According to a report by the news channel ČT24, in the first nine months of the year all prescribing doctors issued a total of 41,008 prescriptions – around 6,000 more than in the same period last year. At present, an average of 3,800 patients per month use medical cannabis. The total quantity dispensed amounts to over 314 kilograms.
General Practitioners Prescribe Only for Chronic Pain
However, general practitioners may prescribe cannabis only in one clearly defined case: for long-term, chronic, and unrelenting pain. The patient group is relatively small, and for this treatment doctors also have numerous alternative medications available.
Diverse Areas of Use
Medical cannabis has been available in the Czech Republic since 2015. In the first year, just 836 grams were dispensed. By September 2025, the total amount had reached nearly 1,109 kilograms. Doctors prescribe cannabis, among other things, to alleviate symptoms associated with cancer treatments, HIV, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, and neurological disorders. Since 2020, Czech health insurance funds cover 90 per cent of the costs of medical cannabis, up to a maximum of 30 grams per month.
