As 2025 unfolds, the medical cannabis sector is entering a critical new phase. While growth in legacy markets has plateaued, a new wave of emerging regions is stepping into the global conversation, especially in Europe, Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. To varying degrees, these regions offer lower production costs, governments eager to diversify revenue streams, and under-served patient populations. To become players in international cannabis, however, they require trusted trade platforms, verified compliance, and global market access.

At GCX we see this shift as a defining opportunity to link compliant suppliers with qualified buyers, and to provide the tools to ensure transparency, traceability, and trust.

Poland: Scaling Patient Demand, Sourcing Shortages

Poland’s medical cannabis program continues to gain traction, with over 2,500 registered pharmacies and a growing patient base exceeding 15,000.

Most cannabis products in Poland are imported, mainly from Canada, Germany, and now Portugal, but domestic cultivation is starting to move through regulatory review. EU-GMP certification will allow processors domestically and abroad a competitive advantage in accessing the Polish medical cannabis market.

Market Notes

• Pricing pressures are opening the door to non-EU producers with EUGMP flower.

• Polish buyers are demanding stable supply contracts and batch-level documentation.

• GCX is actively expanding relationships with distributors and hospital pharmacies.

Switzerland: Adult-Use Pilots with Global R&D Potential

Switzerland’s medical cannabis market is expanding following its 2022 descheduling of cannabis for medical use. Meanwhile, its adult-use pilot programs in Basel and Zurich are laying the groundwork for evidence-based regulation. The successful pilot led Swiss lawmakers to introduce a recent bill seeking to establish a non-profit, state-controlled recreational cannabis market.

Switzerland’s evolving cannabis landscape presents strategic opportunities for international partners. With a focus on pharmaceutical-grade quality, Swiss operators are actively seeking exclusive genetics and EU-GMP certified inputs to support both domestic production and clinical development. The country continues to serve as a European hub for cannabinoid research and development, with ongoing innovation across CBD isolates, rare cannabinoids, and formulation science.

GCX Services

In alignment with these trends, GCX is on-boarding Swiss partners to pilot transparent B2B sourcing solutions, connecting verified international vendors with compliant Swiss buyers through a standardized and auditable exchange model.

Africa: Compliance-Driven Production with EU Targets

Seeing cannabis exports as a new source of external revenue, African nations such as Lesotho, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Morocco are shifting from speculative licenses to operational facilities that meet EU import standards. South Africa remains the continental leader with around 70 facilities in operation.

Due to strict EU-GMP import requirements, South African cannabis exporters have had limited success shipping to Europe.

Market Notes

• Over 35 GACP-certified sites across Africa.

• A growing number, including South African and Moroccan facilities, are now EU-GMP compliant or under audit.

• Genetics suitable to growing in local environments remain limited, forcing cultivators to pheno-hunt, driving up research and development expenditures.

• Shipping lanes and validated COAs remain hurdles for African exporters.

GCX Services

• Across emerging African cannabis markets, GCX is building tailored on-boarding solutions to support compliant export pathways and reduce friction in international trade. These tools include built-in escrow mechanisms, documentation support, and supplier verification to meet the expectations of regulated buyers.

• Our compliance validation service plays a critical role in helping global buyers mitigate risk, ensuring that African-origin products meet the standards required for long-term supply contracts and sustainable international partnerships.

South America: Competitive Cultivation & LATAM Regional Expansion

South America is quietly becoming one of the most cost-competitive, scalable cultivation zones for THC and CBD cannabis.

Market Notes

• Colombia has over 2,000 hectares of licensed cultivation, with 40+ companies certified in GACP or EU-GMP.

• Uruguay was the first country to legalize recreational cannabis in 2013, with domestic sales beginning in 2017. Domestic cannabis consumption is between 44 and 55 tons annually, and exports have been rising, to more than 11 tons in 2023. Most exports have been to the EU, which imported over 8 tons of Uruguayan cannabis in 2023.

• Brazil’s medical market is growing rapidly through ANVISA special access rules, with rising demand for full-spectrum oils and flower. Medical cannabis prescriptions increased 50% from 2023 to 2024. Last year, officials announced a 12-year cannabis research program with a view to becoming a leading export nation.

• Argentinian medical cannabis patients were authorized to cultivate their own flower in 2020, and in 2022 lawmakers expanded the country’s medical cannabis framework with a view to boosting exports. However, in early 2025 officials announced a plan to eliminate home cultivation, suggesting the system was being abused. Existing medical cannabis cultivation permits are to be revoked under the new policy, forcing incumbent operators to re-license, which has added uncertainty for would-be capital investors.

• Medical cannabis access in Chile remains very restrictive, but Chilean lawmakers recently introduced a bill to regulate recreational cannabis in a manner resembling Germany’s recreational cannabis rollout. Rules will seek to permit households to cultivate up to six flowering plants, as well as the establishment of non-profit cultivation clubs. Multipartisan support for the bill will be necessary for legislative reform. Key structural details, such as whether privately-run competitive businesses or a state monopoly will rule the day will ultimately influence international investment.

Thailand & Southeast Asia: Asia’s First Legal Frontier

After legalizing medical cannabis in 2018 and decriminalizing personal use in 2022, Thailand continues to set the tone for Asian cannabis reform. Despite political shifts in 2024 to tighten cultivation, import and export regulations, medical cannabis remains legal and growing, with over 1,000 licensed clinics and private operators.

Market Notes

• Thailand is rapidly positioning itself as a regional cannabis export hub, driven by its equatorial climate, low-cost infrastructure, and experienced agricultural workforce.

• Government incentives, coupled with established supply chains and a growing network of compliant facilities, make Thailand a strategic base for broader APAC distribution.

• Interest is steadily rising across Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, where trial imports and cross-border partnerships are beginning to take shape, further signaling the region’s growing role in the global cannabis supply chain.

GCX Services

GCX is developing trading pathways between Asian producers and buyers across the EU and MENA regions. By combining digital platform tools with on-the-ground expertise, GCX is helping to establish transparent, scalable, and compliant supply chains that can meet the rigorous standards of international markets. In collaboration with Avitas Global, GCX is playing a key advisory role in Thailand’s cannabis export evolution, guiding licensed producers on compliant cultivation practices, proprietary genetics, and strategic export planning.

Final Thoughts

The cannabis map is being redrawn, not by legacy markets, but by agile, compliance-focused players in regions like Poland, Switzerland, Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. These emerging markets offer tremendous opportunity for buyers, investors, and operators, and with the right partners, risk can be managed and long-term value realized.

Our mission is clear: to connect the right players, enable compliance-first trade, and accelerate the safe, transparent, and scalable growth of international cannabis commerce.

Author Bio

Rob Smallman is the Vice President of Global Cannabis Exchange (GCX) and President of Avitas Global Ltd. With 23+ years of global cannabis experience across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, Rob leads strategy and consulting for compliant cultivation, product sourcing, and international trade facilitation.

E. rob.smallman@

globalcannabisx.com

T. +351 911 712 599