Spain has long served as one of the top cannabis markets on the planet, albeit a largely unregulated cannabis market. While recreational cannabis and most medical cannabis commerce are technically illegal in Spain, the European nation has historically largely tolerated cannabis commerce through the nation’s private cannabis clubs.
A ‘greyer area’ of Spain’s cannabis laws pertains to sales involving cannabidiol (CBD) products. ‘Cannabis light’ products, as they are sometimes referred to in European countries, are very popular in Spain, as evidenced by new data that was recently published by Sechat.
“The CBD market in Spain has gone from nonexistence to an annual revenue of €136 million in less than a decade, consolidating a sustained average growth of 35% per year and surpassing the mark of 500 specialized stores in operation.” the outlet reported (translated from Portuguese to English).
“According to the survey by Cáñamo, the sector currently includes between 500 and 515 specialized stores, over 250 active brands, about 60 companies in the medicinal and CBD segment, and generates between 6,700 and 7,000 direct jobs.” Sechat also reported.
The European Union Drugs Agency publishes cannabis usage data every year via its ‘European Drug Report’. According to the 2025 report, Spain has the greatest last-month reported cannabis usage rate in Europe, with 15.6% of adults reporting that they have consumed cannabis within the last month.
Additionally, the report lists that 19.4% of adults in Spain report having consumed cannabis within the last year, which is the third highest rate, only behind Italy (21.5%) and Croatia (20.3%). An estimated 47.7% of adults in Spain report having consumed cannabis at least once in their lifetime, with only France (54.1%) and Estonia (48.5%) having a higher lifetime reported consumption rate.
According to market analysts associated with Grand View Research, “the global cannabidiol market size was estimated at USD 10.68 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 30.96 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 13.70% from 2026 to 2033.”