In 2023, Portugal exported 11 tonnes of cannabis, but only 17 kg were sold within its borders. Patients still resort to the black market, although the plant is legal in the country.
When Paula Motta discovered medical cannabis in 2017, it was still illegal in Portugal. Her 10-year-old daughter suffered epileptic episodes up to four times a day - some lasting 20 minutes - while the 16 daily pills she was taking were ineffective against her Dravet syndrome. Motta decided to give her daughter drops of cannabis extract, and over time, the girl's crises became less frequent.
While dozens of pharma and agriculture companies flocked to the country following the legalization of medical cannabis, access remains extremely restricted for Portuguese patients.
The product isn't stocked by the country's three largest pharmaceutical suppliers, and in 2023, a bit more than a thousand boxes of Tilray were sold, the equivalent of 17 kg. The same year, 11 tonnes of medical cannabis were exported from Portugal by the 40 or so companies set up in the country, including Somai Pharmaceuticals.
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