European cannabis policy toolkit
Introduction
Cannabis is the most used illicit substance across Europe, and the one on which opinions among both policymakers and the public vary the most. Over the years, the EUDA has received requests for assistance and advice from EU countries interested in changing their legislation regarding recreational cannabis use by adults.
In line with the principles of evidence-informed policy planning, any changes to cannabis control policy should be accompanied by monitoring and assessment of the measures introduced. This is necessary to understand the potential health, social and security impacts of these developments.
Recognising the growing need among policymakers for support in shaping cannabis policies, the EUDA is developing the European cannabis policy toolkit.
Objectives and scope of the toolkit
The toolkit will be rolled out over the period from 2026 to 2027, and aims to serve European policymakers well beyond 2027.
The primary purpose of the toolkit is to support decision-makers and policy planners across the EU with the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of national cannabis policies.
The toolkit will offer real-world policy examples and resources for informed policymaking, thus supporting EU Member States irrespective of whether they decide to strengthen or relax local regulations of recreational cannabis. The toolkit is being developed with the support of researchers from RAND Europe and the Trimbos Institute. Oversight from the EUDA and an academic advisory group will ensure the toolkit’s scientific integrity. Information about the project contractors can be found on the RAND Europe website.
Components of the toolkit
The toolkit will include several components, which will be released on the EUDA website in stages:
- a cannabis indicator database
- an online database of implementation experiences
- tools and resources to support evidence-informed decisions
- a masterclass for policymakers and other professionals.
Cannabis indicator database
The toolkit will offer a database of cannabis indicators to support decision-makers and evaluators in assessing the impact of cannabis policy changes. The available indicators, which are linked to specific cannabis policy objectives, will be provided together with methodological guidance to support their use in policy evaluation. The database will be available for users by the end of 2026.
Online database of implementation experiences
An online database of implementation experiences will describe how relevant policy changes have been carried out in different countries. These accounts will describe a country’s policy background, the objectives of the change, the policy components that have been implemented and the lessons learnt from the implementation process. Data are being collected in 2025-2026, and the database will be available for users in 2027.
Tools and resources to support evidence-informed decisions
Other practical tools will include a list of possible policy objectives (e.g. public health, safety, crime reduction) and user-friendly tools for devising policy logic models and related actions in line with the objectives. The list of policy objectives will be available for users by the end of 2026. Other resources will be published in 2027.
Masterclass for policymakers and other professionals
The toolkit will also offer a masterclass for policymakers and other professionals seeking to refine their skills in cannabis policy development and evaluation. This interactive, in-person masterclass will be organised in 2027.
For more information about the development process of individual toolkit components please contact the EUDA team at Cannapol@euda.europa.eu.
Toolkit development process and participation
Each toolkit component will be developed following a distinct methodology, involving feedback from relevant stakeholders and tailoring it to the needs of the end users.
During the first two years, RAND and the Trimbos Institute research team will undertake a comprehensive data-gathering exercise. This will include interviews with up to 50 interviewees representing different stakeholders from approximately 10 to 12 countries. The data collected will inform several toolkit components. Interview participants will be selected following the methodological criteria for the mixed-methods approach established by the consortium researchers in coordination with the EUDA team and members of the academic advisory group.
Key participants will include:
- representatives of government departments and public institutions
- participants from non-governmental organisations, cultivation clubs and relevant civil society organisations
- participants from treatment organisations, police and prosecutor offices.
Data protection and integrity
The development of the toolkit explicitly highlights the compliance with EU data protection regulations, particularly Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, which governs the processing of personal data by EU agencies. The EUDA team and the toolkit contractors will ensure compliance with the confidentiality provisions, including for sensitive policy data, stakeholder input and personal information. Different data protection measures are embedded across the work packages, particularly in the creation of the cannabis indicator database and the registry of implementation experiences.
All collaborators in the development of the European cannabis policy toolkit are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest. Further information about conflicts of interests and data protection safeguards relevant to the development of the toolkit can be found in the initial call for tender.
Toolkit related work
Further information
Contact the team about the toolkit
Media requests
Email: press@euda.europa.eu. Telephone: +351 211 21 02 00