What this market covers
Prescription medicines based on cannabis or its compounds, used for conditions such as epilepsy, nausea and pain. Buyers are hospitals, pharmacies and health payers.
Typical segments
- Cannabidiol medicines
- Synthetic cannabinoids
- Plant derived extracts
- Oral and oromucosal sprays
Why this market is moving now
- US employment in the core industry shifted +32% since 2020.
- Clinical research is active, with studies recruiting now.
Key figures
Each figure names the source it came from. Open the source list below to read the quoted line.
| Figure | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| The EU had 3,116 enterprises in NACE class C2120 (Manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations) in 2023. | 3,116 enterprises | 2023 | Eurostat |
| EU enterprises in NACE class C2120 had net turnover of €428.65 billion in 2023. | 428.65 EUR billion | 2023 | Eurostat |
| NACE class C2120 employed 600,730 people across the EU in 2023. | 600,730 persons employed | 2023 | Eurostat |
| The US had 1,443 private establishments in NAICS 325411 (Medicinal and botanical manufacturing) in 2025. | 1,443 establishments | 2025 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| NAICS 325411 employed an average of 46,010 people in US private industry in 2025. | 46,010 jobs | 2025 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| US employment in NAICS 325411 changed by +32% between 2020 (34,760 jobs) and 2025, calculated from BLS figures. | +32 % change | 2025 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Average annual pay in US NAICS 325411 was $138,279 in 2025. | 138,279 USD per year | 2025 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| ClinicalTrials.gov lists 1,017 registered studies for the condition "cannabis". | 1,017 registered studies | 2026 | U.S. National Library of Medicine |
| 158 of those studies were recruiting participants when checked in November 2026. | 158 recruiting studies | 2026 | U.S. National Library of Medicine |
| PubMed indexed 313 papers mentioning "medical cannabis" in the title or abstract in 2025. | 313 papers | 2025 | U.S. National Library of Medicine |
Sources and method
The figures on this page come from the public sources listed below. Read how we work.
- Eurostat: Enterprises by detailed NACE Rev. 2 activity and special aggregates (sbs_ovw_act) (2026-11-04)
Quoted lines
- Figure 1
sbs_ovw_act, geo EU27_2020, nace_r2 C2120, indic_sbs ENT_NR, 2023, 3116
- Figure 2
sbs_ovw_act, geo EU27_2020, nace_r2 C2120, indic_sbs NETTUR_MEUR, 2023, 428651
- Figure 3
sbs_ovw_act, geo EU27_2020, nace_r2 C2120, indic_sbs EMP_NR, 2023, 600730
- Figure 1
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: QCEW annual averages, NAICS 325411, 2025 (2026-11-04)
Quoted lines
- Figure 4
QCEW 2025 annual, US000, private, NAICS 325411, annual_avg_estabs 1443
- Figure 5
QCEW 2025 annual, US000, private, NAICS 325411, annual_avg_emplvl 46010
- Figure 6
QCEW 2020 annual_avg_emplvl 34760; 2025 annual_avg_emplvl 46010
- Figure 7
QCEW 2025 annual, US000, private, NAICS 325411, avg_annual_pay 138279
- Figure 4
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2, condition "cannabis" (2026-11-04)
Quoted lines
- Figure 8
query.cond=cannabis totalCount 1017
- Figure 8
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2, condition "cannabis", status recruiting (2026-11-04)
Quoted lines
- Figure 9
filter.overallStatus=RECRUITING totalCount 158
- Figure 9
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: PubMed search "medical cannabis"[tiab] AND 2025[dp] (2026-11-04)
Quoted lines
- Figure 10
esearch count 313
- Figure 10
Buyers and suppliers
Who buys
- Hospitals
- Pharmacies
- Health payers
What the full report covers
- 01Executive summary
The answer in one page: size, direction and what moves it - 02Market definition and scope
What is in and out of the United States market - 03Market size, 2021 to 2025
Historical series and growth rates - 04Outlook to 2031
Base, low and high scenarios with stated assumptions - 05Rules, policy and deadlines
Regulation and programmes that change demand - 06Drivers and barriers
What accelerates or slows adoption, by customer segment - 07Prices, costs and margins
Unit economics where public data allows - 08Competitive landscape
8 to 12 company profiles with recent moves - 09Opportunities and risks
For new entrants, suppliers and investors - 10Method and sources
Every assumption and source, listed
Included with the full report
- PDF report, 40 to 60 pages
- Excel data pack
- Ready-to-use charts
- Method note and assumptions
- Written to order in 5 working days
Frequently asked questions
How many clinical trials study cannabis?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 1,017 registered studies.
How many US companies are in the cannabis pharmaceuticals industry?
BLS counts 1,443 private establishments in NAICS 325411 (Medicinal and botanical manufacturing), the closest official industry.
How many EU companies are in the cannabis pharmaceuticals industry?
Eurostat counts 3,116 enterprises in NACE class C2120 (Manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations).
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