Brazil's Medical Cannabis Market Hits $500M Valuation in 2026

Market Size and Growth Trajectory

Brazil's medical cannabis market grew 140% year-over-year from 2025 to 2026, reaching $500 million in aggregate patient spending and product sales. The expansion follows ANVISA Resolution RDC 660/2024, which authorized domestic cultivation and manufacturing for the first time. Before 2024, all medical cannabis products in Brazil were imported under individual patient authorizations.

On a strict reading of ANVISA's reporting requirements, the $500M figure includes:

• Prescription cannabis oil sales through authorized pharmacies
• Imported finished products under continuing individual authorizations
• Domestically cultivated and processed products under the new licensing regime

Patient enrollment in Brazil's medical cannabis program surpassed 200,000 in June 2026, according to ANVISA data. Chronic pain accounts for roughly 60% of registered patients. Epilepsy and neurological conditions make up 25%, with psychiatric disorders representing the remaining 15%.

Domestic Cultivation and Tax Treatment

ANVISA issued 14 domestic cultivation licenses as of July 2026, with eight facilities operational and six under construction. Licensed cultivators must comply with Federal Law 11.343/2006 (the Drugs Law) and ANVISA's GMP standards for pharmaceutical manufacturing. Domestic supply now accounts for an estimated 30% of total market volume. That's up from zero in 2025.

The shift from import-only to domestic cultivation fundamentally alters Brazil's cannabis supply economics and regulatory compliance burden.

Brazil doesn't impose a federal excise tax on medical cannabis products. State-level ICMS (tax on circulation of goods and services) applies at rates ranging from 12% to 18%, depending on the state. Federally, medical cannabis products are classified under NCM code 3004.90.99 and subject to standard pharmaceutical import duties when applicable.

Regulatory Outlook and Market Access

ANVISA is reviewing a proposed rule to expand qualifying conditions and streamline physician authorization, with a decision expected in Q4 2026. The proposed amendment would add post-traumatic stress disorder, fibromyalgia, and Parkinson's disease to the approved indications list. Right now, physicians must submit individual patient authorization requests for off-label conditions.

For full background on this story, see the CannIntel topic hub on Brazil Medical Cannabis Market.

What to watch: ANVISA's Q4 rulemaking decision and year-end patient enrollment data will clarify whether the market can sustain its 2026 growth rate into 2027.