Portugal: Exports of cannabis flowers increased by 566% in 2021

Cannabis exports in Portugal increased by 566% in 2021, the Newspaper, according to information from Infarmed – National Medicines Authority. “The amount of dried flower with moisture content equal to or less than 10% exported in 2021 reached 30 tons”, exceeding the 4,5 of 2020, an increase of almost 600%.

According to the Portuguese newspaper, “the value of exports should be exceeded this year, since only between January and February were sales of 10 tons of cannabis” from Portugal.

Currently, almost all of the production of the 18 companies authorized to grow in Portugal is exported, with only one cannabis derivative on sale in pharmacies (besides Sativex).

Since medical cannabis was legalized in Portugal in 2018, only Tilray has so far obtained an authorization to sell flowers with 18% THC and there are only two applications for ACM (Authorization to Place on the Market) of preparations and substances based on the cannabis plant, one relating to dried flower for inhalation by spray and the other relating to an oral solution. Infarmed told Cannareporter that both requests are awaiting responses from the requesting entities, not specifying whether these are CBD, THC or both.

To date, Infarmed authorized 18 companies to grow medical cannabis, but awaits inspection requests for 80 more, which in the meantime have already obtained a pre-license to build their cultivation units.