Cannabis is illegal in Ireland for recreational use. The medical use of cannabis, however, is highly regulated and requires case-by-case approval from the Minister of Health. In practice, a child with epilepsy cannot be prescribed medical cannabis. It was precisely this kind of situation that prompted some members of parliament to introduce a bill to legalize the therapeutic use of cannabis in the Dáil Éireann, the lower house of Parliament, in December 2016.
The medical cannabis access program, launched in 2021, covers only three conditions and remains very limited, while a Citizens’ Assembly and a parliamentary committee have recommended a health-centered approach.
Find all the latest news and laws regarding cannabis in Ireland here.
Illegal
Cannabis is illegal in Ireland.
Recreational cannabis remains illegal in Ireland. The Minister of Health has made it clear that the legalization of medical cannabis would not be the first step toward the decriminalization of recreational cannabis. Furthermore, the government does not intend to fully decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis.
Medical cannabis is legal in Ireland under a five-year pilot program, which applies only to certain specific medical conditions, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea, multiple sclerosis, and severe epilepsy.
CBD is legal in Ireland, and many CBD oils are selling well.
Possession of cannabis is illegal in Ireland, despite various bills aimed at decriminalizing personal cannabis use.
Personal cultivation of cannabis is not legal in Ireland.
Last checked: October 8, 2026
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In the Irish Free State, cannabis and its resin were prohibited for the first time under the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1934 (Dangerous Drugs Act), which took effect on April 1, 1937. This law replaced a British law of 1920, enacted before the creation of the Irish Free State, and enables Ireland to fulfill its obligations under the International Opium Convention, as revised in 1925, which had added Indian hemp to the list of controlled substances and which Ireland ratified in 1931.
Consumption began to rise in the late 1960s. In 1968, the government established a working group on drug abuse; its 1971 report recommended that possession of a small amount of cannabis for personal use not be punishable by imprisonment. The idea of placing cannabis in a legal category distinct from other narcotics was incorporated into the 1977 Drug Abuse Act (Misuse of Drugs Act), which replaced the 1934 version and remains the standard text to this day.
Attempts at reform have long faced opposition in Parliament. In November 2013, a motion by independent MP Luke «Ming» Flanagan, a longtime advocate for cannabis regulation, was defeated by a vote of 111 to 8. In December 2016, a bill introduced by Gino Kenny (People Before Profit) to legalize medical cannabis passed its second reading but was ultimately rejected by the Oireachtas Health Committee in 2017. A new bill by the same member of parliament, introduced in 2022, proposes to legalize the possession of up to seven grams.
Cannabis is illegal for recreational use in Ireland. According to the Irish police (An Garda Síochána), it is prohibited to cultivate, import, export, produce, supply, or possess cannabis, except under a ministerial license. The government states that it has no plans to legalize cannabis. Products containing THC, including edibles (candy, chocolate, cookies), are regulated under the Misuse of Drugs Act, and possession of them is illegal. Users may be subject to drug testing, including roadside testing.
Possession of cannabis remains a criminal offense, although the Gardaí have some discretion when dealing with small quantities. Penalties increase with repeat offenses, up to and including imprisonment, and the sale or possession with intent to sell are punished more severely. There is no law prohibiting the possession or sale of cannabis seeds.
Cannabis is classified under Schedule 1 of the 1998 regulations, which makes its manufacture, sale, and possession illegal without a license from the Minister of Health. Nabiximols (Sativex) was removed from Schedule 1 in 2014 so that it could be prescribed. The first license for cannabis oil was issued in December 2016 for a child with Dravet syndrome.
The Medical cannabis access program (Medical Cannabis Access Programme, MCAP), established in 2019 and in effect since 2021, covers only three conditions: spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and severe refractory epilepsy. It has enrolled only about 74 patients in five years, drawing sharp criticism from patients and clinicians. No medical cannabis cultivation licenses have been issued in Ireland. In April 2026, the Minister of Health announced a formal review of the program, entrusted to Professor Shane Allwright.
CBD, which is not psychoactive, is not regulated under the Misuse of Drugs Act and does not require a ministerial license, according to the Irish police. Only products containing THC are strictly regulated.
The debate in Ireland focuses less on legalization than on the decriminalization of possession for personal use. The Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use, established in 2023, recommended in 2024 a health-based approach rather than one based on criminal justice. It was divided between supporters of decriminalization and those in favor of legalizing cannabis. In June 2026, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Drug Use recommended the complete decriminalization of personal possession of all drugs, and fell just one vote short of recommending the regulation and legalization of cannabis. It also called for the expansion of the medical cannabis program. For now, the government is sticking to a model of referral to health services: the Minister of State for Drugs has made it clear that no changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act are being considered.
Public opinion is shifting: A February 2023 Red C poll showed 54 % support for the legalization and regulated sale of recreational cannabis, compared with 31 % opposition. Follow our Cannabis News in Ireland See below for updates to the law.
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