As London basked in one of many hottest days of the British summer time thus far, over 1,000 {industry} leaders converged on the Barbican Centre to kick off the ultimate leg of European Hashish Week 2025.
Regardless of being recent off the aircraft from three days on the characteristically full of life Mary Jane Berlin, the temper – very similar to the climate – remained brilliant and energetic as Hashish Europa 2025 welcomed a whole lot of the world’s main hashish voices for its first jam packed day of classes.
From the outset, the main target of the convention centered on a brand new actuality, that hashish is now not a fringe problem however an irrefutable a part of the healthcare, coverage, and monetary mainstream throughout Europe and past.
Stephen Murphy, Co-Founder and CEO of Prohibition Companions, started the convention with a rallying name to the sector, acknowledging each the progress made and the pivotal figures, buddies and colleagues now we have misplaced.
“As professionals, scientists, advocates, and entrepreneurs, we’re a part of a rising motion. It hasn’t all the time been simple, the {industry} has stumbled, nevertheless it’s tailored and matured, and at present stands stronger than ever. It’s an extremely thrilling place to be.
“This yr feels somewhat completely different, now we have misplaced considered one of our most brave voices, Hannah Deacon, not only a chief however a good friend to lots of you right here, who helped construct and form what hashish, and hashish entry have turn out to be.
“Her absence is a strong reminder that refusing to simply accept the established order is what has pushed this progress. As we transfer ahead, it’s our duty, and our alternative, to honour that legacy. None of us are right here passively, we’re all right here to drive change.”
Beneath, we’ve summarised the important thing insights from the colourful and numerous discussions all through Day 1 of Hashish Europa 2025. For those who’re eager to dive into the main points, we’ll be exploring every session in additional element over the approaching weeks.
Headline Keynote – PHCann Worldwide
- Sasha Stefanski, CEO of the convention’s lead sponsor PHCann Worldwide, outlined the regulatory and market challenges going through the European hashish {industry}, noting that whereas the sector is rising, it’s not doing so equally throughout the continent.
- He referred to as for harmonised, steady, and scalable European hashish regulation, stating that PHCann has chosen the trail of a unified, regulated, and equal market.
- 2024 and the beginning of 2025 have been main intervals for the {industry}, however that funding stays fragmented.
- The ‘days of hype and overpromising are over’, and that hashish is now not a trigger however a actuality, the dialog has shifted from when to how hashish must be built-in into wider society.
- The {industry}’s duty has advanced: it should now ship not simply merchandise, however belief.
- Stefanski stated that Europe can lead the world if it commits to a shared regulatory framework that permits merchandise to maneuver freely below one set of worldwide guidelines.
The Finish of the Line – Ending Ready Lists and Empowering European Hashish Sufferers
With greater than 6.4 million folks on NHS ready lists, and plenty of extra uncounted, this session explored the real-world affect of delayed diagnoses for persistent situations like ache, endometriosis, and PTSD. As conventional healthcare techniques pressure, sufferers are more and more turning to medical hashish.
Affected person-led entry and private transformation
- Pierre Van Weperen (MD, Develop Group plc) underscored how hashish is crucial for persistent ache administration, with out therapy, he says he’d be unable to perform. He lamented NHS ready record statistics (e.g., 7.4m→7.39m) that disguise particular person struggling and even deaths.
- Julie Durrans (Affected person advocate, Kayaworks) shared her story: undiagnosed till menopause, as soon as on 30 pharmaceutical therapies every day, now totally managing a number of situations with medical hashish. She now not wants mobility aids and gained management over her life. Julie additionally careworn that authorized choices will not be solely safer than black-market merchandise, however extra reasonably priced, however warned that PIP help funds, which can affected person depend on, had been below menace.
Medical perspective: cautious optimism
- Dr Sunny Nayee (Advisor in Ache Medication, Integro Clinics) described shifting from bias to prescribing after witnessing success in sufferers. He emphasised that hashish isn’t a cure-all, however in persistent ache instances it boosts total high quality of life.
Key boundaries and systemic challenges
- Stigma and misinformation proceed to gradual acceptance amongst GPs and pharma. Many sufferers, and even clinicians, are unaware that personal prescriptions are authorized.
- Lack of readability and management: No devoted UK company for hashish, extreme paperwork, and low institutional help hamper progress.
- Training gaps: Endocannabinoid system data is minimal; monetary constraints restrict analysis into Randomised Managed Trials (RCTs).
- Strained NHS capability: Specialty take care of persistent situations is deprioritised within the public system, pushing sufferers towards non-public clinics.
- Affected person demand will drive regulatory reform, in keeping with Pierre.
State of Play Session: Switzerland
Switzerland is main Europe’s most pragmatic experiment in adult-use hashish, with pilot programmes already underway and a full federal legalisation invoice anticipated by late summer time. On this session, authorized, regulatory, funding, and public well being specialists unpacked how the Swiss mannequin works and the place it’s headed.
Pilots grounded in public well being — and dealing
- Barbara Burri (Head of Technique, Zurich Well being Companies) shared early outcomes from Zuricann, which now consists of over 2,500 individuals and may increase to three,000. She reported no main unfavourable incidents, and steady bodily and psychological well being outcomes throughout the group.
- Pilot websites, operated on a non-profit foundation, are seen as key from a prevention and public well being standpoint, Burri steered and have sturdy help from each native authorities and regulation enforcement.
Legalisation in movement with a uniquely Swiss construction
- Daniel Haymann (Lawyer, MME Authorized) defined that the adult-use legalisation course of was delayed whereas pilot programmes generated knowledge. A full federal legalisation invoice is now anticipated by August/September 2025, coming into a reconciliation section with doubtless adjustments pushed by sturdy {industry} and public well being illustration.
- Authorized gross sales might be state-monopolised on the on-line stage, with restricted stores working on a not-for-profit foundation. Nevertheless, cultivation and manufacturing might be industrial and profit-driven.
Managed experimentation with real-world knowledge
- Luc Richner (Co-Founder, Cannavigia) famous that Switzerland has created a ‘playground’ for regulatory experimentation, giving the {industry} a seat on the desk and permitting for dynamic, evidence-led changes.
- Legislation enforcement is on board ‘police love this undertaking’, Richner stated — because of transparency, management, and traceability that make the programme defensible and manageable.
Key authorized and industrial takeaways
- No vertical integration might be allowed, creating authorized and operational complexity.
- The Quebec-style mannequin might be carefully watched, one state-monopolised on-line retailer, mixed with restricted entry factors, and a separation of economic manufacturing from non-profit distribution.
- Haymann emphasised that solely a aggressive, for-profit mannequin can meaningfully undercut the black market.
State of Play Session: France
With France’s medical hashish pilot programme approaching a pivotal deadline, this session introduced collectively authorized, {industry} and coverage voices to unpack the nation’s distinct strategy — and what’s subsequent.
A pharmaceutical path
- Marie Sanchez (Lawyer, NOOA Avocats) made clear: in France, hashish is both pharmaceutical or under no circumstances. The present proposals don’t create a brand new hashish framework, they combine hashish straight into current pharmaceutical regulation, with all of the related licensing, documentation and compliance necessities.
- Whereas that complexity deters some, Sanchez sees it as a sustainable mannequin that might enhance product consistency and form future EU-wide regulation.
Alternatives, however excessive boundaries to entry
- Hugues Peribere (CEO, Overseed) stated that hashish will transfer from Schedule I to Schedule V, formally classifying it as a medication. This may set up a strict pharmaceutical market, costly and extremely regulated, however with room for innovation and long-term credibility.
- Corporations have to be registered pharmaceutical entities, maintain a narcotics import licence, and be prepared for high quality requirements equal to any pharmaceutical product. This, the panel agreed, it’s a ‘survival of the fittest’ situation.
Affected person strain driving political will
- Ludovic Rachou (Founder, UIVEC) famous that the one cause the pilot programme was prolonged was due to affected person demand, a strong sign that politicians are watching.
- Closing approval hinges on an imminent analysis by the French medical authority, throughout which affected person suggestions might be solicited. If the {industry} fails to submit compelling knowledge and fashions now, reimbursement could also be misplaced, and the chance might collapse.
- A last determination is anticipated by the top of 2025, however Rachou warned the approaching weeks are crucial: knowledge submissions, enterprise mannequin growth, and clear engagement with well being authorities should occur instantly.
Lengthy-term imaginative and prescient: harmonised EU regulation
- Jeanroy Benjamin-Alexandre (CEO, Augur Associates) steered that France’s specificity, and the agility it calls for, might finally function a testing floor for world fashions.
- Whereas the shortage of flower merchandise and inflexible pharma construction could appear restrictive, the pilot’s evolution, sturdy affected person advocacy, and emphasis on data-driven outcomes place France to turn out to be a blueprint for harmonised European medical hashish regulation.
Prevention is the New Treatment Podcast (LIVE episode) – Hashish and the NHS: Will the UK Ever See Hashish Readily and Simply Out there?
This live-recorded episode of the Prevention is the New Treatment podcast introduced collectively politicians, physicians, and affected person advocates for a frank and wide-ranging dialogue on why entry to medical hashish through the NHS stays extraordinarily restricted.
The hole between laws and implementation
- Steve Brine (Former Public Well being Minister) mirrored on his position within the 2018 legislative adjustments, however famous that selections had been pushed by the Residence Workplace, not the Division of Well being, an early misstep that continues to form entry boundaries.
- Dr Sarah Wollaston (Former Chair, Well being Choose Committee) raised considerations round product standardisation, particularly for non-industry audiences unfamiliar with hashish medicines.
Actual-world proof vs. the RCT gold normal
- Matt Hughes (CEO, Medcan Household Basis) shared his household’s expertise with drug-resistant epilepsy, the place hashish lowered seizures from 120 a day to only 5.
- He argued that inflexible RCT frameworks don’t go well with hashish resulting from particular person variability in response, a degree echoed by Tonia Antoniazzi, who careworn that folks are paying out of pocket for therapies whereas trials attain their conclusions.
Medical warning and psychological well being considerations
- Dr Diego Quattrone (Psychiatrist, King’s School London), who doesn’t prescribe hashish, voiced concern over the shortage of medical trial knowledge exhibiting efficacy, significantly for psychological well being situations.
- He warned of THC-related uncomfortable side effects, particularly in psychiatric settings, and stated the present risk-benefit stability seems unfavourable in psychological well being care.
Political will and Whitehall hesitancy
- MP Tonia Antoniazzi acknowledged progress however stated Whitehall stays cautious, nonetheless viewing hashish as a leisure drug quite than a therapeutic product.
- She praised the work of late campaigner Hannah Deacon, including that public and political training is important to interrupt this cycle and {that a} unified, joined-up strategy throughout authorities departments is urgently wanted.
Systemic challenges — and what’s subsequent
- Calls had been made for a devoted UK hashish analysis centre, with authorities funding and NHS collaboration.
- The panel emphasised the necessity to distinguish clearly between leisure and medical hashish, with higher communication, regulatory readability, and cross-departmental coverage coordination.
Antoniazzi additionally revealed plans for a affected person entry fund, pushed by the wants of households presently shouldering unaffordable prices.
