The medical cannabis industries in Australia and New Zealand are continuing to evolve rapidly, with both markets showing signs of maturation, regulatory recalibration, and expanding export ambitions, according to new data.
Drawing on findings from Prohibition Partners’ Australia & New Zealand Cannabis Data Pack, produced in collaboration with Cannabiz, the latest analysis highlights diverging but complementary trends across the two countries. Australia remains the largest medical cannabis market outside the United States, while New Zealand continues to refine its evidence-based, export-oriented medical model.
Australia: Regulation meets rapid growth
Australia’s medical cannabis market is set to surpass AUD$1 billion in sales by the end of 2025, underlining its position as a global leader in medical cannabis outside North America. Growth has been driven by telehealth prescribing, widespread product availability, and the proliferation of specialised clinics.
New insights gleaned from the Data Pack suggest that Australia’s medical cannabis market continues to be led by high-THC products, which account for the majority of both prescription volume and total sales value.
The data shows that dried-flower formats and inhalable products have seen the strongest growth through 2023 and 2024, reflecting the preferences of both patients and prescribers for fast-acting delivery methods.
Within oil-based categories, CBD and balanced formulations maintain a consistent share, particularly among patients seeking non-intoxicating options or long-term symptom management. However, the overall market trajectory shows that THC-dominant products now underpin the bulk of commercial activity.
Pricing remains relatively stable across product types, and total category values point to sustained double-digit growth over the past year.
However, the pace of expansion has prompted a federal review of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) framework. Areas under scrutiny include product advertising, prescribing pathways, and quality oversight. The review follows public consultation concluded in October 2025, with regulatory changes expected to tighten controls on unapproved products and telehealth prescribing.
Despite ongoing import reliance, primarily from Canada, domestic production is expanding. Forty licensed cultivators produced 41 tonnes in 2024, up from 25 tonnes the previous year. Australia’s export footprint is also growing, particularly into Germany, where outbound volumes are expected to double in 2025.
Insights from regional market data
The detailed datasets behind these findings, including breakdowns by product format, cannabinoid ratio, and period-on-period growth, are available through Prohibition Partners’ Australia & New Zealand Cannabis Data Pack, part of the organisation’s wider series tracking cannabis markets across the Asia-Pacific region, providing comprehensive coverage of the Australia and New Zealand cannabis markets through to 2029.
Across both markets, the trends point to increasing normalisation of medical cannabis prescribing, rising patient awareness, and stronger regulatory oversight. For stakeholders looking to assess market performance or identify emerging opportunities, data-led analysis is now central to understanding regional dynamics.
