Brazil surpasses 870,000 patients undergoing cannabis treatment in 2025

The Brazilian market for medical cannabis is experiencing its most mature phase since regulation began. In 2025, the country reached 873,111 patients undergoing treatment, a growth of 30% compared to the previous year. The expansion is also reflected in the economic performance: the sector generated R$ 970.9 million, approaching the mark of R$ 1 billion, according to the Medical Cannabis Yearbook 2025, produced by Kaya Mind.

The distribution of patients demonstrates the consolidation of the three main access routes: 354,000 through imports, 293,000 through pharmacies, and 226,000 through associations. Currently, 85% of Brazilian municipalities have had at least one patient treated with medical cannabis.

National Structure and Clinical Adoption

Brazil has over 635,000 physicians, 440,000 dentists, and approximately 90,000 pharmacies, indicating that the basic infrastructure for medical cannabis is already present in the country. However, less than 1% of qualified professionals prescribe cannabis regularly.

Among dentists, the discrepancy is even greater: despite the hundreds of thousands of professionals, only a few hundred issue prescriptions.

The total density of physicians in Brazil is 29.9 per 10,000 inhabitants, while the density of cannabis prescribers is only 2.7 per 10,000 inhabitants.

Economic Performance

The traditional pharmaceutical market projects a growth of 11% in 2025. The medical cannabis market, on the other hand, showed an expansion of 22% in 2024, but still operates below the total estimated potential of R$ 9.5 billion, according to a projection by Kaya Mind made in 2021.

Prescribers

Between 55,000 and 60,000 professionals have already prescribed cannabis at least once, but only 5,900 to 15,100 issue monthly prescriptions. Medicine accounts for the majority of indications, while other categories — such as dentists, veterinarians, and pharmacists — are beginning to increase their participation.

Home Cultivation and Associations

Medical home cultivation is also advancing. Approximately 7,000 patients are already cultivating their own plants through judicial decisions. The Superior Court of Justice has recorded 978 habeas corpus requests related to medical cultivation since 2013.

Brazil has 315 medical cannabis associations, of which 55 are authorized judicially to cultivate. In total, these entities maintain between 27 and 47 hectares of cultivation.