A Comparison Of Legal And Illicit EU Cannabis Markets
Co-Authored by Michael Sassano and Callum Kellas
The cannabis illicit market existed in all countries long before the legal markets arrived late on the scene. They have the biggest global distribution networks, with direct-to-your-door service and choices. For legal producers, the illicit market is and will always be the largest competitor to the legal market.
The dynamics of cannabis consumption in the European Union and beyond portray an interplay between cultural acceptance, legal restriction, consumer appetite and geography.
The best data for the vast majority of European consumers today, sadly for now, comes from crime statistics, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the Office for National Statistics, as well as anecdotal evidence.
The Consumer Profile Of Adult Consumers In The EU
When considering annual consumption, the rate surpasses 10% in five countries within the sample. The adult consumers in Spain and France are the two most notable for their contrasting barely existent legal access frameworks.
Examining the profile of monthly consumers closer, we see broadly about 30% of monthly consumers intake cannabis almost daily, and a further 30% use it weekly. In short, around 3% of the European population consumes cannabis at a volume comparable to a legal patient.
Czechia is a striking outlier, with frequent consumption considerably more prevalent than other EU countries given its comparatively permissive regulatory and social culture.
Evidently, the Portuguese have the least habitual use. While being the trailblazers in decriminalization, the most topical comparison would be in Germany, where this week Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that their specific aim was to reduce use. No prizes for guessing how the German markets will react in the coming months with simplified medical access and soon an established source of legal supply in the rollout of social clubs.
The Sleeping Giants Of Legal Cannabis Consumption
When you look at the percentage of adults who consume cannabis every month, it’s the same three names that jump out at you in that big green block: Spain, France, and Italy emerging as significant markets for potential legal reform and access.
This consumption pattern underscores the deeply ingrained nature of cannabis within certain European cultures and the potential for legal markets to adapt and compete with the illicit trade.
Trends within EMCDDA-reported average illicit market prices per …