The National Assembly of Slovenia approved, just 10 days ago, the most ambitious medicinal cannabis law on the continent. Although it is a country of just 2 million inhabitants, its regulatory framework could reconfigure the competitive balance of the cannabis industry in the region, as it combines openness, scientific criteria, and strict regulation. We break down the architecture of this pioneering law, its transformative impact on Slovenian society, and its significance as a new beacon in the complex map of European legalization.
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The recent approval by the Slovenian National Assembly of a law to regulate cannabis for medicinal and scientific purposes is not just another legislative update; it is the culmination of a decade of debate and the implementation of a model that could redefine the future of medicinal cannabis in the European Union.
With a decisive vote on July 15, 2025, Slovenia not only legalized access for its patients but also designed a regulatory framework qualified by international experts as “one of the most progressive national laws on medicinal cannabis in the world.” The approved regulation governs the entire value chain of medicinal cannabis: from cultivation to pharmaceutical dispensing, including research, quality control, and export. These are its main elements.
A legal framework focused on the market
The core of the reform is the comprehensive legalization of the cultivation, production, and use of the plant Cannabis sativa L. for medical and scientific purposes, under a rigorously controlled system. The law orders the government to reclassify cannabis and THC, removing them from the list of prohibited substances in the country within this new regulated framework, a step that must be completed in 90 days.
This legal architecture creates a hermetically sealed medical and scientific channel, allowing Slovenia to comply with the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which authorizes the medical use of these substances, while establishing a fully functional domestic economic sphere.
Perhaps the most defining aspect of the law is its firm rejection of a state monopoly, opting instead for a competitive and non-restrictive licensing system. Any individual or company, public or private, that meets the requirements can obtain a license to cultivate, process, and distribute medicinal cannabis. This strategic decision, which departs from the initial drafts, aims to promote competition, accelerate market development, and catalyze innovation, learning from the difficulties observed in other European models.
Systems like the state monopoly in the Netherlands or army-led production in Italy have proven to be prone to shortages, high prices, and a limited diversity of products, often pushing patients to the black market. The Slovenian law explicitly seeks to ensure a “stable and continuous supply” and avoid dependence on imports, using market forces as a tool of public health policy.
An open market does not mean a market without control. The law establishes an exceptionally strict quality infrastructure, requiring that all medicinal cannabis be grown indoors under controlled conditions and comply with the Good Agricultural and Collection Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices (GACP and GMP), in line with the standards of the European Pharmacopoeia.
Supervision is shared between the Agency for Medicinal Products (JAZMP), the Ministry of Health, and the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ), which will play an innovative role by providing data on prescriptions to support an “annual strategic plan” that will define the allowed cultivation quantities. This predictive mechanism, which links supply to the actual demand of the healthcare system, is one of the most sophisticated features of the Slovenian framework, designed to ensure market stability in the long term.
Legislation places patients at the permanent center of gravity
The true purpose of the law is to transform the lives of patients. Medical cannabis will be available with a standard medical prescription issued by any doctor or dentist, and its veterinary use is even contemplated. And the need to resort to special protocols for narcotics is eliminated, a fundamental step to integrate cannabis into the conventional pharmaceutical market.
The most radical change, however, is the empowerment of clinical judgment: cannabis can be prescribed for any condition that a physician deems appropriate, an approach that drastically departs from restrictive models like the Italian or Czech ones, which limit prescriptions to a closed list of pathologies. By granting full discretion to the professional, Slovenia trusts the expertise of its doctors and acknowledges the evolving nature of cannabis science.
To protect users, the law creates the “cannabis card,” a document that is issued at the pharmacy and serves as immediate proof of legal possession. This practical and humanitarian tool bridges the gap between theoretical legality and the real fear of interaction with law enforcement, a persistent problem in many other jurisdictions.
The card makes the patient’s legal status visible and instantly verifiable, reducing anxiety and stigma. With this measure, along with the guarantee of a stable supply of high pharmaceutical quality, the law aims to dismantle the black market, where it is estimated that around 30,000 Slovenians were self-medicating with products of unknown origin and quality.
An economic bet that looks towards Europe
The Slovenian law is not only a victory for patients but also an economic catalyst designed with a forward-looking vision. Initial projections estimate that the national market for medicinal cannabis will exceed 55 million euros by 2029. However, the true potential lies in the design of the law, inherently favorable to export.
By requiring compliance with the EU GACP/GMP standards, Slovenian products will be directly exportable to large markets such as Germany, whose value exceeds 625 million euros and whose imports are expected to surpass 100 tons by 2025. Slovenia is positioning itself not only as an internal market but also as a future center for production and R&D for the continent, capable of capturing a share of a European market valued in billions of euros.
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One of the most powerful features of the law is that it provides the first comprehensive legal framework in Slovenia for CBD and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids. This movement brings legitimacy and removes legal ambiguity for a sector that, in much of Europe, operates in a “legally gray area.”
This regulatory clarity sharply contrasts with the trend in countries like Italy, which has just reclassified oral CBD as a narcotic, creating enormous uncertainty. By regulating CBD under the same high-quality umbrella as THC products, Slovenia is creating a premium and trustworthy CBD industry, giving its producers a massive competitive advantage in an increasingly demanding European market.
The Slovenian reform is part of a “second wave” of reforms in Europe, learning from the experiences of countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, or the Czech Republic. The continent is becoming a laboratory of policies where nations no longer innovate in a vacuum, as demonstrated by meetings between high officials from Germany, Luxembourg, Malta, and the Netherlands to discuss common challenges. The Slovenian model is a direct product of this environment.
In comparison, its open and competitive market approach differs from the Dutch state monopoly, prone to shortages and high prices, and from the army-controlled production in Italy, which suffers from an unstable supply. While many of these countries restrict prescriptions to a closed list of pathologies, Slovenia fully trusts medical discretion, an approach closer to that of Germany, which has seen how telemedicine massively expanded patient access.
The Chronicle of a Political Victory Announced
The approval of this law was not a spontaneous act, but the culmination of a long political journey. Between 2013 and 2024, several legislative proposals failed in the Slovenian parliament. An analysis of the debates from that decade reveals a crucial evolution: the advocates of reform shifted from “fantastic narratives” about the magical properties of the plant to a “compassionate narrative” that was much more effective, focused on the suffering of patients forced to turn to the black market. This change in approach was key to overcoming the “public health narrative” of the opponents, which focused almost exclusively on the dangers of consumption.
The turning point came in June 2024 with two consultative referendums. The results were unequivocal: an overwhelming majority of 66.7% supported the cultivation and processing of cannabis for medical purposes, and a tighter majority of 51.6% favored allowing cultivation and possession for limited personal use.
Although they were not binding, these results gave the ruling coalition, led by the Freedom Movement (Gibanje Svoboda) and the Left (Levica), the public mandate they needed to act. The final vote in the National Assembly, with 50 votes in favor and 29 against, reflected broad support that represents a victory for a modern political approach that views drug policy through a lens of public health, patient rights, and economic opportunity.
The new medicinal cannabis law in Slovenia is a statement of intent. The country has designed a sophisticated system that not only addresses its own problems but also sets a new and high standard for the rest of Europe. The journey, however, is not over. The ruling coalition has already expressed its intention to tackle the regulation of cannabis for personal use, a step supported by the 2024 referendum. The green dawn has arrived in Slovenia, and its light could illuminate the path for an entire continent.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Legalization of Medical Cannabis in Slovenia
What exactly has Slovenia legalized with its new medicinal cannabis law?
Slovenia has approved the comprehensive legalization of medicinal cannabis for medical and scientific use. The law regulates the entire value chain: cultivation, processing, distribution, medical prescription, and export, under strict quality controls and without a state monopoly.
Who can cultivate medicinal cannabis in Slovenia?
Any person or company, public or private, that meets the legal requirements and obtains an official license can cultivate, process, and distribute medicinal cannabis. The system is competitive and aims to avoid shortages and dependence on imports.
How is the quality of medicinal cannabis guaranteed in Slovenia?
The law requires that all medicinal cannabis be grown indoors under controlled conditions and comply with GACP and GMP standards. Oversight is the responsibility of the Medicines Agency, the Ministry of Health, and the National Institute of Public Health.
For which diseases can cannabis be prescribed in Slovenia?
In Slovenia, cannabis can be prescribed for any condition that a doctor or dentist deems appropriate, without a closed list of pathologies. This approach relies on clinical judgment and facilitates access for more patients.
What is the “cannabis card” and what is it for?
The cannabis card is a document issued at pharmacies that certifies the legal possession of medicinal cannabis. It serves to reduce stigma and avoid misunderstandings with authorities, protecting patients from potential police checks.
Will Slovenia allow personal use of cannabis in the future?
After the 2024 referendum, in which more than 51% supported limited personal use, the ruling coalition has expressed its intention to regulate cannabis for recreational use at a later stage of the legislative process.
