This week, the EUDA is hosting a design thinking workshop in Lisbon to help shape a new European cannabis policy toolkit ‘Cannapol’ — an initiative aimed at supporting national cannabis policy design and evaluation across the EU. Opening today, the two-day meeting brings together experts from several EU Member States as well as from the project partners RAND Europe and the Trimbos Instituut.

Cannapol will support policymakers and legislators in the development, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based cannabis policies. The project aligns with the EUDA’s expanded mandate to boost Europe’s preparedness for emerging drug-related challenges.

Cannabis policy landscape in Europe

Why now? Cannabis remains the most widely used illicit drug in Europe. According to the European Drug Report 2025, an estimated 24 million adults (aged 15–64) used cannabis in the past year.

Recent years have seen a growing divergence in cannabis policy approaches across EU Member States.

The direction of future European cannabis policies remains uncertain. However, as national policies evolve, it is essential that any future changes are supported by an assessment of their impact on public health and safety. This evaluation requires reliable baseline data, emphasising the need to improve monitoring of current patterns in cannabis supply and demand. Cannapol is designed to meet this need, by equipping EU countries with consistent, evidence-based tools to guide their policy decisions.