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Europe Ā· all countries Ā· model E ā€” Cannabinoid medicines only

Medical cannabis in Latvia

Cannabis prohibited; only EU-authorised cannabinoid medicines

Latvia has no medical cannabis pathway: cannabis, its resin, extracts and tinctures are on the prohibited List I, so a new patient cannot be prescribed cannabis flower or extracts; only industrially made cannabinoid medicines with a marketing authorisation (such as centrally authorised Epidyolex) can in principle be prescribed.

The hardest fact about Latvia. Cannabis in every plant-derived form sits on List I ('prohibited especially dangerous narcotic substances'); the only lawful uses of List I substances are research and education with State Agency of Medicines permission ā€” medicine is not among them.

Every answer below was read in the law, the register or the official statistic itself. This country is part of the Europe layer: an English page of verified facts, no directory. Where an answer is marked as not published, no official source states it ā€” we did not fill the gap with a guess.

The questions, answered for Latvia

How access works here

The one-line answer: can a new patient start today, and through what.

Model E ā€” cannabinoid medicines only. There is no cannabis programme, no named-patient cannabis route, and cannabis itself is legally prohibited.

Under the law 'Par narkotisko un psihotropo vielu un zāļu likumÄ«gās aprites kārtÄ«bu' (On the Procedures for the Legal Trade of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances and Medicinal Products), Article 3 divides controlled substances into List I (prohibited especially dangerous narcotic substances), List II (very dangerous substances permitted for medical and scientific use) and List III; since 1 June 2021 the lists themselves are Annex 2 of the law 'Par Krimināllikuma spēkā stāŔanās un piemēroÅ”anas kārtÄ«bu' (On the Procedure for the Coming into Force and Application of the Criminal Law). Article 5 prohibits all activities with List I substances and Article 7 allows exceptions only for medical/veterinary scientific research and education with Zāļu valsts aÄ£entÅ«ra (State Agency of Medicines, ZVA) authorisation. The law's latest amendment shown is of 05.02.2026 (in force 06.03.2026) and contains no cannabis-medicine provision.

Source: Likums 'Par narkotisko un psihotropo vielu un zāļu likumÄ«gās aprites kārtÄ«bu' (Law on the legal trade of narcotic and psychotropic substances and medicines) Ā· read 27 September 2026

What may be prescribed

What the law allows a doctor to write on a prescription here.

Cannabis flower, resin, oil, extracts and tinctures: not prescribable (List I). Dronabinol/THC was placed on List II (medical use permitted) in the former schedules, so a finished medicine containing it could be prescribed if authorised. Whether Sativex (nabiximols) holds a Latvian authorisation could not be verified; Epidyolex (cannabidiol) is EU-centrally authorised and therefore valid in Latvia.

Annex 2, List I, section 7 point 4 lists 'kanabiss: neizžāvēta marihuāna; izžāvēta marihuāna; haÅ”iÅ”s; kanabisa sveÄ·i, eļļa, ekstrakti un tinktÅ«ras' with threshold quantities (e.g. dried marijuana 1 g small / 100 g large amount); the annex was last amended 13.11.2025, in force 01.12.2025. The former Cabinet Regulation No. 847 (8.11.2005, in force until 01.06.2021) placed 'kanabiss, kanabisa sveÄ·i, eļļa, ekstrakti un tinktÅ«ras' on List I 'izņemot kanabidiolu' (except cannabidiol) and 'dronabinols (delta-9-tetrahidrokanabinols un tā stereoÄ·Ä«miskie varianti)' on List II. The current List II text could not be displayed in this session, and the ZVA medicines register (dati.zva.gov.lv) refused automated access, so the registration status of Sativex and of any dronabinol product in Latvia is unverified.

Source: Likums 'Par Krimināllikuma spēkā stāŔanās un piemēroÅ”anas kārtÄ«bu', 2. pielikums (Annex 2 ā€” lists of controlled narcotic and psychotropic substances) Ā· read 27 September 2026

Who may prescribe

Whether you need a specialist, and whether anyone has to approve it first.

Any Latvian physician may prescribe an authorised List II/III medicine on a prescription that meets the narcotic-prescription rules; nobody may prescribe cannabis flower or extracts.

Article 36(1): 'II un III sarakstā iekļautās vielas un zāles pacientam izsniedz tikai pret recepti, kas izrakstÄ«ta atbilstoÅ”i normatÄ«vajiem aktiem par recepÅ”u izrakstÄ«Å”anu' (List II and III substances and medicines are dispensed to a patient only against a prescription issued in accordance with the prescription regulations). No authorised-prescriber list exists for cannabinoids. Unregistered medicines may be distributed only with a ZVA permit under Farmācijas likums (Pharmacy Law) Article 17(2) ā€” the detailed conditions for individual patients were not visible in this session.

Source: Likums 'Par narkotisko un psihotropo vielu un zāļu likumÄ«gās aprites kārtÄ«bu', 36. pants Ā· read 27 September 2026

Type of prescription

The form itself: which prescription, how long it is valid, how much it covers.

Not published

Medicines containing List II/III substances need a prescription issued under the Cabinet prescription regulation (special narcotic prescription form); the exact form, validity and quantity limits could not be opened in this session.

The law delegates prescription form, issuing and storage rules to the Cabinet of Ministers (Article 36). The implementing Cabinet regulation on prescriptions was not reachable (likumi.lv search is closed to automated access and the document ID was not found), so validity period, quantity caps and e-prescription specifics are not verified. Latvia's e-veselība e-prescription system is the default channel for prescriptions.

Source: Likums 'Par narkotisko un psihotropo vielu un zāļu likumÄ«gās aprites kārtÄ«bu', 36. pants Ā· read 27 September 2026

Telemedicine

Whether a prescription can lawfully begin in a video call.

Not published

Not published. No official Latvian rule specific to remote prescribing of cannabinoid medicines was found, and cannabis itself cannot be prescribed at all.

The prescription regulation (not opened in this session) governs how prescriptions are issued; no regulator page addresses video consultations for narcotic medicines.

Source: Likums 'Par narkotisko un psihotropo vielu un zāļu likumÄ«gās aprites kārtÄ«bu' Ā· read 27 September 2026

Dispensing

Which pharmacy can actually hand it over.

Only licensed pharmacies may dispense List II/III medicines, against a prescription; no compounding or mail order of cannabis exists because cannabis is prohibited.

Article 36(1) of the law restricts dispensing of List II and III substances and medicines to prescription-based pharmacy dispensing. Distribution of medicines not registered in Latvia requires a ZVA authorisation (Farmācijas likums Art. 17(2)). No official page describes any pharmacy that dispenses cannabis preparations.

Source: Farmācijas likums (Pharmacy Law), 17. pants Ā· read 27 September 2026

Reimbursement

Whether anyone other than you pays for it.

Not published

Not published for cannabinoid medicines. Whether Epidyolex or any THC medicine is on the state reimbursable medicines list (Kompensējamo zāļu saraksts) could not be verified; the National Health Service page did not open.

Latvian reimbursement is via the Nacionālais veselības dienests (National Health Service) reimbursable medicines list (A/B/C lists). The list page returned 404 in this session; no cannabinoid entry was verified.

Source: Likums 'Par narkotisko un psihotropo vielu un zāļu likumÄ«gās aprites kārtÄ«bu' Ā· read 27 September 2026

Driving

The question with the worst consequences and the least reliable information online.

Not published

Latvian traffic law treats driving under the influence of narcotic or psychotropic substances as an offence and provides for a medical check of such drivers; whether any detectable THC counts and whether a prescription is a defence could not be verified because the operative sections did not load.

Ceļu satiksmes likums (Road Traffic Law) Section 1 defines the compulsory medical check-up of a driver who 'has driven a vehicle under the influence of alcoholic beverages, narcotic, psychotropic or other intoxicating substances' (latest amendment shown 14.05.2026). The prohibition and liability sections (driver's duties, Sections 28 and 43.x) were beyond the portion of the page returned to this session, so the zero-tolerance wording and any exception for prescribed medicines are unverified.

Source: Ceļu satiksmes likums (Road Traffic Law) Ā· read 27 September 2026

Travel

Taking it across a border, which is where most published advice is simply wrong.

Travellers may bring narcotic medicines for personal use: List II medicines for at most 14 days of treatment, List III for at most 30 days, with the prescription or a copy; inside Schengen the Art. 75 certificate from your home authority is required. Cannabis flower or extracts are List I and may not be brought in at all.

Article 39 of the law: 'II sarakstā iekļautās vielas saturoÅ”as zāles paredzētas ārstniecÄ«bas kursam, kas nav ilgāks par 14 dienām, bet III sarakstā iekļautās vielas saturoÅ”as zāles paredzētas ārstniecÄ«bas kursam, kas nav ilgāks par 30 dienām'; proof is 'recepti, receptes norakstu vai kopiju' (prescription, transcript or copy). For Latvian residents travelling in Schengen the certificate ('apliecÄ«ba par narkotisko vai psihotropo vielu lietoÅ”anu ārstnieciskām vajadzÄ«bām') is issued by a physician and confirmed by the VeselÄ«bas inspekcija (Health Inspectorate), listed among its pharmacy services. Since cannabis products are List I, no import quantity exists for them; a THC medicine such as dronabinol would fall under the 14-day List II rule.

Source: Likums 'Par narkotisko un psihotropo vielu un zāļu likumÄ«gās aprites kārtÄ«bu', 39. pants (personal import by travellers) Ā· read 27 September 2026

As a visitor or new resident

Four things nobody publishes together: getting a prescription as a non-resident, using a prescription from another EU country, bringing your own medicine in, and whether a foreign video consultation counts.

No foreigner can be prescribed cannabis in Latvia because no one can. A foreign prescription for cannabis flower or extract cannot be dispensed (List I); Latvian law's cross-border prescription rule for other narcotic medicines was not verified. Bring your own THC medicine only within the 14-day List II allowance and, inside Schengen, with an Art. 75 certificate.

1) Non-residents: irrelevant for cannabis (prohibited for everyone); for authorised cannabinoid medicines no residency bar is published ā€” not published. 2) Prescriptions from other EU/EEA states: Latvia's transposition of Directive 2011/24/EU Art. 11 sits in the Cabinet prescription and distribution regulations, which could not be opened in this session; whether Latvian pharmacies exclude foreign narcotic prescriptions (Art. 11(6)) is therefore not verified. Cannabis preparations are unlawful regardless of prescription (Annex 2 List I). 3) Bringing medicine in: Article 39 ā€” List II medicines max 14 days, List III max 30 days, prescription or copy required; Schengen residents need their home country's Art. 75 certificate; Latvian residents obtain theirs via a physician and the VeselÄ«bas inspekcija. 4) Foreign telemedicine prescriptions: not dispensable for cannabis (List I); for other medicines follows 2) ā€” not verified.

Source: Likums 'Par narkotisko un psihotropo vielu un zāļu likumÄ«gās aprites kārtÄ«bu', 39. pants Ā· read 27 September 2026

What is changing

What is pending in parliament or at the regulator, with dates ā€” or the statement that nothing is.

Not published

Nothing pending was found in the law: the controlled-substances law was amended on 5 February 2026 and the substance annex on 13 November 2025 without any cannabis-medicine provision.

Latest amendments visible: law 'Par narkotisko un psihotropo vielu un zāļu likumīgās aprites kārtību' 05.02.2026 (in force 06.03.2026); Annex 2 lists 13.11.2025 (in force 01.12.2025). Neither introduces a medical cannabis pathway. Any Saeima bill or Ministry of Health position could not be checked (ZVA and ministry pages blocked or not found).

Source: Likums 'Par Krimināllikuma spēkā stāŔanās un piemēroÅ”anas kārtÄ«bu', 2. pielikums Ā· read 27 September 2026

Number of patients

How many people this actually concerns ā€” where anyone counts.

Not published

No official count exists: there are no cannabis patients in the legal sense, and no published figure for patients on cannabinoid medicines was found.

ZVA consumption statistics were not reachable in this session (HTTP 403). No official source publishes cannabinoid-medicine patient numbers.

Source: Likums 'Par narkotisko un psihotropo vielu un zāļu likumÄ«gās aprites kārtÄ«bu' Ā· read 27 September 2026

What we can publish for Latvia, and what we cannot

Four directories, four honest answers. Where an official register exists we republish it and link every entry back to the source. Where none exists, that is what the page says ā€” a list built out of self-declarations would be worse than no list, and saying so is more useful to you than pretending.

Doctors

No list ā€” by design

No prescriber list exists; the general register of medical practitioners does not indicate cannabinoid prescribing, and cannabis cannot be prescribed by anyone.

Pharmacies

No list ā€” by design

No pharmacy dispenses cannabis; the general pharmacy register does not identify cannabinoid dispensing.

Products and preparations

No list ā€” by design

No cannabis product can be legally marketed (List I). Authorised medicines are in the ZVA Zāļu reģistrs (medicines register), which does not mark cannabinoids and refused automated access in this session.

Telemedicine platforms

No list ā€” by design

No official telehealth register; cannabis prescribing is not lawful in any format.

Where this country's law lives

Everything above comes from these texts rather than from another portal's summary. They are listed so you can check us.

Crossing a border with this

Two European rules decide most of what a traveller asks. Directive 2011/24/EU obliges pharmacies to honour prescriptions from another Member State ā€” but only for medicines authorised in the dispensing country, and its Article 11(6) says the rule ā€œshall not apply to medicinal products subject to special medical prescriptionā€, which is where narcotic prescriptions sit. A magistral cannabis preparation is neither authorised nor outside that exclusion, so a cannabis prescription from another country is, as a rule, not dispensable anywhere in Europe. For carrying your own medicine, Article 75 of the Schengen Convention lets a resident of a Schengen state travel with a certified supply for up to 30 days; outside Schengen, national import rules apply. The country-specific answer is above under ā€œAs a visitor or new residentā€.

Directive 2011/24/EU, Article 11(1) and 11(6) ā€” read on EUR-Lex on 27 September 2026: CELEX 32011L0024.

Other countries with the same model (cannabinoid medicines only)

The answers change at every border, and a prescription does not travel with you. Compare before you assume.