The legal picture

Cannabis in Greece: what is legal, what is not, and what sits between

The answer depends entirely on which cannabis you mean. Greece has three separate legal tracks, and people who blur them reach conclusions that are wrong — sometimes dangerously so.

Three tracks you must not confuse

Most confusion around "cannabis in Greece" comes from the word describing three things that Greek law treats entirely separately:

Track	Status	Who it applies to
Prescribed medical cannabis	Regulated and legal	Holders of a prescription from a Greek-licensed physician
Recreational use	Criminal offence	Everyone, without exception
Industrial hemp and CBD	Separately regulated, recently changed	Buyers of oils, cosmetics and supplements

The important conclusion: seeing an open CBD shop in Athens does not mean cannabis is legal in Greece. These are different tracks, and only one of them is relevant to someone seeking treatment.

02 · Medical

The only route open to a visitor

Legislation regulating medical cannabis in Greece has existed since 2017. Actual dispensing in pharmacies began in February 2024, after years in which the regulation remained on paper. Oversight sits with the National Organisation for Medicines (EOF), which approves products and issues licences.

The conditions, briefly:

A prescription from a Greek-licensed physician is required. There is no substitute.
Collection at a licensed pharmacy only — not every pharmacy.
The physician sets the product, concentration and quantity, subject to regulation.
The prescription can be redeemed for up to 30 days, inside Greece.

For a visitor this means one thing: the route runs through a Greek-licensed physician, remotely before you travel or during your stay in Greece. The full process is in the guide.

03 · Recreational

Recreational use — no grey area here

Possession and use of cannabis outside a prescription remains a criminal offence in Greece. That holds for small quantities, and it holds for visitors.

Nor does holding a valid prescription grant blanket permission. Use is intended for private accommodation — a hotel or an apartment. Use in public space, on a beach, in a bar or in the street is not covered by the prescription. Driving under the influence is enforced like alcohol, and the prescription is not a defence.

Do not rely on "everyone does it" Social tolerance in a particular place is not a change in the law, and a foreign visitor is exactly who pays the price when enforcement tightens. A prescription is not a licence to use anywhere.

04 · Hemp and CBD

The track that changed recently

Industrial hemp — the low-THC variety — is regulated in Greece separately from medical cannabis, within a European framework. This is the world of CBD oils, cosmetics and food supplements.

This area has changed significantly: Greek legislation from 2026 restricted the retail sale of dried hemp flower with a THC content of up to 0.3% to consumers, and its purchase and use by consumers. Other products — oils, cosmetics and supplements — were not included in that restriction.

This change does not affect the medical prescription route, which continues to operate through licensed pharmacies. More on CBD in Greece on the dedicated page.

Why this is flagged Older guides online still describe an open CBD flower market in Greece. Do not plan around them. This is exactly the kind of information that goes stale and gets people into trouble.

05 · Bottom line

What all this means when you land

Do not bring cannabis with you. Not from anywhere, and not with a valid licence from home.
Do not take cannabis out of Greece. What is bought there stays there.
The only legal route is a local prescription from a Greek-licensed physician.
Even with a prescription, use is limited to private accommodation, and does not extend to driving.

The flying page covers what happens at customs in both directions, and why a notarised translation does not solve the problem.

06 · Verification

How to check for yourself

This area moves, so it is worth checking an official source close to your travel date rather than relying on a guide — ours or anyone else's.

The National Organisation for Medicines (EOF) — the regulator. Publishes official announcements, standards and licence registers.
The Greek Ministry of Health — for legislation and regulatory updates.
EUDA — the EU Drugs Agency — a neutral summary of the legal position in Greece.
Your own country's consulate in Greece — for consular guidance. Israeli citizens: the Israeli Embassy in Athens.

The most recent change we know of On 20 May 2026 Greece published Law 5302/2026 (Government Gazette ΦΕΚ A′78). The next day EOF announced that retail sale of hemp flower to consumers is prohibited outright, whatever its THC content. The detail is on the CBD page.

Last updated: September 2026. Content here is general information and is not legal or medical advice.

FAQ

Questions about cannabis in Greece

Is cannabis legal in Greece?

It depends which cannabis. Medical cannabis on a prescription from a Greek-licensed physician is lawful and regulated. Recreational use remains a criminal offence. Industrial hemp and CBD sit in a separate regulatory track entirely.

I hold a medical cannabis licence in my own country. Is it valid in Greece?

No. Medicines regulation is territorial. A licence issued under another country's law creates no status under Greek law. The only document that carries weight in Greece is a prescription from a Greek-licensed physician.

Who regulates medical cannabis in Greece?

The National Organisation for Medicines (EOF), which sits under the Greek Ministry of Health. EOF approves products, issues licences and publishes official announcements and standards.

Can I still buy CBD flower in a shop in Greece?

No. Law 5302/2026, published on 20 May 2026, prohibits the retail sale of dried hemp flower with a THC content of up to 0.3% to consumers, and its purchase and use by consumers. Prescription medical cannabis is not covered. Oils, cosmetics, food and supplements were not covered by that ban.

What is the penalty for possession?

Under Article 29(1) of Law 4139/2013, possession, procurement or use for exclusive personal use carries up to five months' imprisonment. Supply and import fall under Article 20, which starts at eight years. Greek law sets no threshold in grams separating the two.

Do I have to be in Greece to start the process?

No. The medical review happens remotely, before you fly. Only the dispensing itself takes place at a licensed pharmacy inside Greece.

What else is worth reading

The full guideThe process end to end: who is assessed, how it works, what it costs. Flying with cannabisBoth directions, and the documents that do not help. CBD in GreeceWhat is allowed to buy, and what changed in 2026.

Want to check if the medical route fits you?

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