On August 7, 2026, nine members of Portugal’s Iniciativa Liberal party submitted two parliamentary questions concerning the country’s cannabis policy. One targets the Health Minister and addresses patient access to medical cannabis and the pharmaceutical authority Infarmed’s licensing practices. The second goes to three additional ministries and demands information on seized CBD products. The government has 60 days to respond, though it may request an extension.
📑 Inhaltsverzeichnis
An Indication List Unchanged Since 2019
The core of the first question exposes a contradiction that the MPs openly identify. Portugal has established itself as a medical cannabis production hub in Europe, yet its own patients struggle to access the therapy. The list of approved therapeutic indications for cannabis plant preparations has not been revised since 2019. According to the Iniciativa Liberal, it is more restrictive than comparable EU member states.
The MPs want to know whether studies or working groups exist to revise the regulatory framework, what training is offered to medical professionals, and whether an expansion of the indication list is planned. They also ask why the public Infarmed report on medical cannabis sector development only covers through November 2024, with complete 2025 data still missing.
Licensed Operations Shrinking Fast
The licensing situation is more concrete. The question references analysis of public Infarmed lists by the industry portal CannaReporter. Between January and April 2026, the number of companies approved for imports fell from 49 to 36. Export licenses dropped from 48 to 34, and cultivation licenses from 39 to 25. Within a single quarter, approximately one-third of license holders lost their status.
MPs suspect delays in renewing existing permits as the cause. They report cases where renewal applications remained unprocessed past license expiration dates. This affects companies that submitted on time with no objections on file. As a result, these operations face suspension despite having done nothing wrong. We have already explored Portugal’s slipping position in the European landscape in our analysis on why the country is losing its status as Europe’s cannabis processing hub.
Seized CBD Products and Questions Over Legal Authority
The second question concerns the „Portugal Sempre Seguro“ enforcement action, during which authorities seized CBD products from retail outlets. The MPs demand figures: how many inspections occurred over three years, how many cases involved CBD seizures, what legal basis authorities cited, and how many regulatory or criminal proceedings resulted.
This reflects genuine legal doubt. The Iniciativa Liberal asks whether Infarmed, the veterinary authority DGAV, or the economic regulator ASAE have issued their own guidelines on CBD product classification and how the three agencies coordinate. Most importantly, the MPs want to know how Portuguese practice aligns with European Court of Justice rulings on the legal status of cannabidiol and free movement of goods. They also inquire whether the International Narcotics Control Board has issued guidance on CBD status.
Why This Matters for the German Market
Portugal is one of Europe’s sites for medical cannabis cultivation and preparation for export. When one-third of cultivation and export licenses disappear in a single quarter, it’s not merely a Portuguese concern. German demand is met almost entirely through imports, as recent figures on import volumes in Q1 2026 demonstrate. Any tightening on the supply side indirectly affects pharmacy availability in Germany.
The second aspect of the question touches on a persistent European challenge. CBD’s legal status remains inconsistent despite several clarification attempts, and national regulators interpret it differently. The approval process shows how slow this moves, as we traced with the first positive EFSA opinion on CBD as a novel food. Portugal itself demonstrated in 2026 it can act decisively on cannabinoids when it classified HHC in the Narcotics List Schedule II-A. Yet for the well-researched cannabinoid CBD, no comparably clear position exists.
European CBD markets grinding against regulatory uncertainty is hardly a new pattern. Years ago, this emerged when a supplier from South America navigated diverging national standards while developing the European CBD market. Similarly, early confusion following the FDA hearing on CBD in the US followed the same logic. Regulatory gaps get filled by enforcement agencies, and affected parties learn only afterward which interpretation applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who filed these questions?
Nine members of the liberal party Iniciativa Liberal, led by Jorge Miguel Teixeira. They submitted both questions on August 7, 2026, to the Assembleia da República. They are addressed to the Health Minister and the portfolios covering economy, justice, and interior affairs.
How dramatic is the license decline?
Between January and April 2026, approved importers fell from 49 to 36, exporters from 48 to 34, and cultivators from 39 to 25. The figures come from analysis of public Infarmed lists by the industry portal CannaReporter.
What is Operation „Portugal Sempre Seguro“?
It is an enforcement action during which authorities seized CBD products from retail shops, among other measures. The MPs question whether these seizures rest on a uniform, EU-compliant legal basis and demand reliable figures to clarify.
Do Portuguese patients face greater barriers to cannabis than Germans?
According to the question, yes. Portugal’s indication list has remained unchanged since 2019 and is considered narrower than regulations in several other EU states. In Germany, by contrast, the treating physician decides on medical indication.
When must the government respond?
The standard deadline is 60 days from submission, extending to early October 2026. The government can request an extension. Whether and how detailed the ministries answer remains open.
Sources: Assembleia da República (Questions from Iniciativa Liberal, August 7, 2026, to the Health Ministry and the Ministry for Economy and Territorial Cohesion), CannaReporter.
Sollte Portugal den Patientenzugang zu Cannabis endlich erleichtern?
Note: This article reflects the status as of August 2026 and does not constitute medical advice. Regulations governing access to medical cannabis vary by country and change continuously.
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