Isle of Man countries/im.yaml
Cannabis isremains a Class B drug and. Small possession of even halfcases can bring a gram goes to court, usually ending in a fine ofor a few hundred poundsdrug-education referral; home growing remains criminal. Private medical prescriptions have been dispensed on the island since 2022. Tynwald backsdispensing expanded beyond a harmsingle-reduction approach to drugs but rejected a citizens' jury on a regulated marketpharmacy pilot in 20262024.
Possession is a criminal offence dealt withUnauthorised Class B possession carries up to five years in courtprison on conviction on information, or a fine, or both. In 2024 magistrates fined[@act] Small amounts can still lead to a woman £300 plus £125 costs forcourt fine: 2024 cases involving half a gram, and a man2.6 g brought £300 and £750 plusrespectively, each with £125 costs for 2.6 g found in his bedroom[@iom24a, which he said helped him sleepiom24b] Eligible first offenders may instead enter the Drug Arrest Referral Scheme.[@policy2024]
act, iom24a, iom24b, policy2024
GBP
label Half a gram in 2024Unauthorised Class B possession; conviction on information · treatment criminal · fine 300term Possession of a controlled drug · note Plus £125 costs, label 2.6 g in 2024prison 5 years · treatmentnote Prison or an uncapped criminal · fine 750 · note Plus £125 costs, or both; summary proceedings have lower limits
GrowingUnauthorised cannabis is an offence even for one plantcultivation carries up to fourteen years on conviction on information, or a fine, or both.[@act] Actual small-grow sentences can be much lower: in 2022 a man who grew a singleone plant for what he said wasclaimed medicinal use was fined £700 plus £125 costs in 2022.[@mr22] Commercial growingproduction needs a licence from the Gambling Supervision Commissionrelevant GSC licence.[@gsc]
act, mr22, gsc
GBP
label Single plant in 2022Unauthorised cultivation; conviction on information · treatment criminal · fine 700term Cultivation of cannabis plant · prison 14 years · note Plus £125 costsPrison or an uncapped criminal fine, or both; summary proceedings have lower limits
Small amounts usuallypossession cases can end in court fines, but the [Drug Arrest Referral Scheme](/history/isle-of-man-drug-arrest-referral-2014/) offers eligible first offenders education followed by a fine and a convictioncaution. Supply is punished with prison: a man concerned in supplying 1.5 kg was jailed for three years[@iom24a,iom24b,policy2024] A 2024 government report says most referrals involved cannabis and ten monthsrecords 108 entrants in 20242021/22, of whom 93 completed the programme.[@policy2024]
iom24a, iom24b, mr24policy2024
Supplying cannabis is prosecuted asSupply or possession with intent to supply a Class B drug carries up to fourteen years on conviction on information, or a fine, or both.[@act] A 2024 case involving supply of 1.5 kg brought three years and punished withten months in prison. No distinction is made for sharing without payment.[@mr24]
act, mr24
label Concerned in supplying 1.5 kg in 2024Supply or possession with intent to supply; conviction on information · treatment criminal · term Supply of a controlled drug · prison 314 years · note Plus ten monthsPrison or an uncapped criminal fine, or both; summary proceedings have lower limits
UseUnauthorised use is dealt withpoliced through the possession offence; patients have a separate prescription route. There are no places where it is tolerated[@iom24a,pharmacy2024] A medical-consumption lounge received planning approval in 2026 for adults to vaporise their own prescribed cannabis.[@loungeapproval]
iom24a, pharmacy2024, loungeapproval
NoThere is no legal adult-use sourceretail route. Patients with a private prescription from a specialist doctor can have it dispensed by an island pharmacy: more than 650 patients used[@act] Since the first licensed pharmacy in its first year[July 2024 expansion](/history/isle-of-man-pharmacies-dispense-2024/), mostly for chronic painregistered pharmacies may apply to dispense private cannabis prescriptions and private clinics may register locally. The products are not available on the island's health service[@pharmacy2024] Karsons in Onchan and Kingsley Muti in Ballasalla had both been approved by August 2024.[@twopharmacies]
cd24act, pharmacy2024, twopharmacies
There is no lawful recreational supply:Cannabis possession of even half a gram goes to court and usually ends in a fine home cultivation remain criminal offences, with [2024 court cases](/history/isle-of a few hundred pounds-man-small-possession-fines-2024/) showing fines even for small personal quantities.[@iom24a,iom24b,act] In May 2026Eligible first possession cases can enter a drug-education referral scheme instead of proceeding directly to court.[@policy2024] Tynwald rejected a citizens'’ jury on a regulated recreational market, reaffirming harm-reduction principles instead in May 2026.[@iom26]
iom24a, iom24b, act, policy2024, iom26
The Gambling Supervision Commission regulates licensedGSC licenses cultivation, storage, transport, manufacture, extraction, import, export and industrial hempanalysis for the medicinal industry. There is no production[@gsc] Its FAQ describes the commercial system as licensing specified activities for adult useexport, with an on-island company and at least two local directors required.[@faq] The [withdrawal of Peel NRE’s proposed complex in 2026](/history/isle-of-man-peel-cannabis-plan-withdrawn-2026/) illustrates the gap between licensing ambitions and construction; the BBC also reported that work had yet to start on a separate approved GrowLab facility.[@withdrawal]
gsc, faq, withdrawal
FromPatients pay privately for specialist prescriptions and dispensing: the island’s health service does not provide the ordinary cannabis prescription route.[@pharmacy2024] The [pilot launched in December 2022 a single ](/history/isle-of-man-medical-pharmacy-pilot-2022/) used Karsons pharmacy in Onchan dispensed privateand prescriptions in a year-long pilotfrom registered English clinics. Since [@pharmacy2024] The [July 2024 any registered island pharmacy may apply to expansion](/history/isle-of-man-pharmacies-dispense,-2024/) opened applications to other island pharmacies and local private prescribing clinics may register, with doctors required to prescribebe on the island; prescriptions must come from a doctor on the GMC specialist register. Clinics are inspected yearly[@pharmacy2024] By August 2024, Karsons and pharmacies every six monthsKingsley Muti had both secured approval. About 335 products a month were dispensed in the pilot year through licensed pharmacies supplied via UK wholesalers.[@twopharmacies]
cd24pharmacy2024, twopharmacies
InThe government’s 2024 Tynwald approved drug-policy principles for tackling the harm caused by illegal drugs. In May 2026 it rejectedreport describes how convictions can restrict work, travel and residency, and says these effects can be amplified in a motion for a citizens' jurysmall community.[@policy2024] Cautions can also appear on timelines for a regulated recreational market, reaffirming those principles instead;enhanced background checks.[@policy2024] Drug-related convictions are separately relevant to commercial cannabis licensing: the government said an action plan would follow that summerGSC requires disclosure even of spent convictions and says relevant drug or dishonesty convictions prevent approval.[@faq]
iom26policy2024, faq
nonetolerated
NoThe Green Lounge received planning approval in January 2026 for adults to vaporise their own prescribed cannabis clubs are known. Supplying cannabis to another person is prosecuted with prison sentences[@loungeapproval] The [Ramsey venue left its premises in September](/history/isle-of-man-green-lounge-relocates-2026/) and was holding pop-ups in Douglas by October while seeking a permanent home.[@lounge] These accounts describe a patient social space rather than a collective cultivation or recreational supply scheme.[@loungeapproval,lounge]
mr24loungeapproval, lounge
There is no legal recreational supply route for anyone, so a visitor has no lawful way to obtain cannabisvisitors. Medical products are dispensed only on a[@act] Local medical dispensing operates through licensed pharmacies and private prescriptionspecialist prescriptions.[@pharmacy2024] The GSC’s commercial import/export licences are business permissions, separate from the patient-dispensing arrangements.[@gsc,pharmacy2024]
cd24act, pharmacy2024, gsc
Isle of Man Legislation — Misuse of Drugs Act 1976, consolidated Gambling Supervision Commission — full cannabis licence guidance Gambling Supervision Commission — cannabis licensing FAQ Department of Home Affairs — Policy principles to inform the Isle of Man’s approach to tackling harm caused by drugs (November 2024) Isle of Man Today — pharmacies can now apply to dispense medicinal cannabis (12 July 2024) Isle of Man Today — Two pharmacies can now dispense private medicinal cannabis prescriptions (1 August 2024) Isle of Man Today — Island cafe shuts but launches pop-ups at new location (16 October 2026) Manx Radio — Green Lounge gets approval (30 January 2026) BBC — £100m medicinal cannabis complex plans withdrawn (4 June 2026) GSC — Guidance for Cannabis Analysis, licence overview 8 unchanged
Industrial hemp cultivation needs a GSC licence and uses a THC ceiling of 0.2%.[@guidance] The regulator distinguishes a crop whose active parts must be destroyed from a crop whose active parts are used to produce medicinal CBD.[@guidance] Applicants for a With Use licence must show a lawful export route.[@faq]
guidance, faq
strict
Police recorded 438 drug offences in 2023/24, compared with 480 in 2022/23, according to the November 2024 government report.[@policy2024] Those totals cover all controlled drugs and count recorded offences, rather than cannabis arrests.[@policy2024] The same report records 108 Drug Arrest Referral Scheme entrants in 2021/22, most referred for cannabis possession, and 93 completions.[@policy2024]
policy2024
Seeds can be imported or exported without a GSC cannabis licence for that activity alone, while shipments outside the UK/Isle of Man route require the plant-health paperwork described by the regulator.[@faq] Possessing seeds without cultivating them needs no licence according to GSC guidance.[@seedguide] Growing plants still needs permission, and licensed growers can supply seedlings and propagated plant parts within the commercial system.[@guidance]
faq, seedguide, guidance
grey
open
licensed
regulated
Researchers can obtain a GSC licence, separate from the commercial cultivation licence.[@faq] Research permission can cover indoor male and female plants for breeding and seed production, with measures to stop pollen reaching other sites.[@faq] Researchers may supply seeds, seedlings and live plants, while commercial biomass sales need the additional cultivation permission.[@faq]
faq
licensed
The [Green Lounge’s founders](/history/isle-of-man-green-lounge-approval-2026/) sought to reduce the stigma around medicinal cannabis by providing a social space for patients.[@loungeapproval] In October 2026 the cafe’s founder described keeping that community together through pop-ups after leaving the Ramsey premises.[@lounge] The space offered food, drinks and activities alongside its patient focus.[@lounge]
loungeapproval, lounge
word cannabis · lang English · meaning the law’s term for the plant and drug · sources act, word medicinal cannabis · lang English · meaning the regulator’s term for licensed medical activity · sources gsc