Medical cannabis has been legal in Poland since November 1, 2017, and since 2019 it has been available at pharmacies by prescription. Despite this, many people still don't know exactly how the procedure works.
Who can issue a prescription
A prescription for medical cannabis can be issued by any doctor authorized to prescribe narcotic medicines (except veterinarians) — regardless of specialty. In practice, however, it's worth consulting a doctor experienced in cannabis therapy, since they decide on dosage, strain, and product form.
First visit and continuing therapy
The decision to start therapy is made by the doctor during a qualifying visit, which current practice requires to take place in person. Follow-up visits and subsequent prescriptions can already be issued via online teleconsultation — provided the patient's condition and current regulations allow it. It's always worth checking the current rules with your own doctor.
The Rpw prescription
A prescription for medical cannabis is marked with the symbol Rpw (reserved for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances) and issued as a compounded (recipe) drug. For e-prescriptions, the doctor must mark it accordingly in electronic form.
Picking it up at the pharmacy
With an Rpw prescription, you can go to a pharmacy that carries medical cannabis products — not every pharmacy does, so it's more convenient to check availability in advance, for example in our pharmacy database.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical consultation.