Jersey medicinal cannabis prescriptions jump 35% as Canada's export ambitions grow

An FOI request shows a sharp rise in Jersey prescriptions and export licences, as Canadian cannabis sales hit fresh highs and firms expand internationally.

FILE — harvest · My 420 Tours / CC BY-SA 4.0

Doctors in Jersey prescribed nearly 20,000 more medicinal cannabis products in 2025 than the year before, according to a freedom of information request reported by BBC Jersey and republished by Yahoo News Canada.

Prescriptions and Licences Rise

The FOI found 72,065 cannabis-based prescriptions were issued in 2025, up 35% from 53,477 in 2024, according to BBC Jersey. GPs on the island have been able to prescribe cannabis-based products since a 2019 law change, the outlet reported.

Police told BBC Jersey that the growth in medicinal use has made it harder for officers to distinguish legal from illegal drug activity. A separate FOI request in July, also cited by BBC Jersey, found that licences to export cannabis from Jersey were increasing even as import licences declined — a trend that, if sustained, would point to the island building out supply capacity rather than relying on inbound product.

Canada's Market Context

The Jersey figures land as Canada's own cannabis sector posts record numbers. Official sales filings show Canadian cannabis retail sales rose from roughly $439 million (USD) in February 2026 to about $518 million in June 2026, according to state sales data reviewed by Cannabis Newz — consistent with a StratCann report that Canadian retail sales topped $500 million for the first time that month.

SFGATE separately reported that Canada has surpassed California to become the world's largest cannabis market, though the outlet did not detail the specific metrics behind that ranking. Decibel Cannabis, a Canadian producer, reported second-quarter revenue growth driven by international sales, according to TradingView.

Corporate Moves Tied to Export Push

Canadian licensed producers have recently made moves that touch on export and international supply chains. Aurora Cannabis announced acquisitions aimed at strengthening its UK supply chain, according to StratCann, while Canopy Growth renewed EU GMP certification at its Kincardine facility, BNN Bloomberg reported — a certification typically required to sell medical cannabis into European markets. Separately, Aurora has urged shareholders to reject a takeover bid from Curaleaf, according to CBC, a dispute that could affect the company's international strategy depending on its outcome.

What's Not Yet Confirmed

Neither the Jersey FOI reporting nor Cannabis Newz's related coverage database includes specific figures on South African export licensing, production capacity or sales that would substantiate a direct head-to-head comparison with Canada's export position. Any claim that South Africa is poised to rival Canada as a global export leader is not supported by the material reviewed for this story and should be treated as unverified pending further reporting.

What to Watch

Analysts and regulators will likely watch whether Jersey's rising export licences translate into actual shipment volumes, and whether Canada's June sales record marks a sustained trend or a seasonal peak. The outcome of Aurora's dispute with Curaleaf, and whether GMP-certified facilities like Canopy's Kincardine plant translate into higher EU sales, could also shape how Canadian producers position themselves against other cannabis-exporting jurisdictions in the coming months.