The story
New Faroese controlled-drug regulations took effect on 15 June 2026, keeping cannabis within a system of medical, scientific and agricultural permissions.[1] They replaced the January 2025 regulations and set out who could receive controlled drugs, grow cannabis and handle low-THC commercial crops.[1]
A separate route for the farmer
A grower seeking a commercial low-THC crop must apply for an annual permit, covering identified land with each continuous plot measuring at least 0.3 hectares.[1] The crop must contain no more than 0.2% THC.[1] Applications go through Búnaðarstovan, with a police opinion before the medicines authority decides after consultation with the Chief Pharmacist.[1]
The permission comes with oversight: crops can be sampled and analysed, and permits can be withdrawn.[1] Buying, receiving, possessing and processing plants grown under the permit are allowed, but processing cannot produce preparations above 0.2% THC.[1] The cannabis definition separately excludes hemp seeds and isolated fibre, while growing the plant remains regulated.[1]
Medical growing requires secure premises
The regulations provide licensed growing purposes connected with medical-cannabis production, pharmaceutical raw materials and propagation for other authorised growers.[1] Medical crops must be grown in specified areas or premises, separated from other cultivation or manufacture.[1] An approved security manager supervises the work and access, and the medicines authority can check the background of the operator and security manager.[1]
Distribution of plants and plant parts is restricted to authorised growers or overseas businesses holding the necessary medical-growing permissions.[1] The text also preserves separate arrangements for scientific work at state laboratories and institutions.[1] These permissions describe controlled activities and their safeguards, without establishing that a commercial medical grower is actually operating in the islands.[1]
Patients use the prescribing route
Patients may receive and possess controlled medicines through a lawful prescription under the regulations.[1] The Chief Medical Officer confirms that a medical-cannabis trial scheme has operated since April 2019.[2] The authority explains that trial products face different quality, safety and efficacy requirements from approved medicines, leaving more limited knowledge of possible risks.[2]
Recreational offences still reach small amounts
The underlying drug-control law punishes its ordinary offences with a fine or up to two years in prison.[3] Its sentencing rules give extra weight to specified supply circumstances, including sales at youth events.[3] The 2026 regulations continue to reserve controlled-drug use for medical and scientific purposes, while the Faroe Islands profile records the separate hemp permits and the limited patient route.[1][2]
Listed for context. No score change is recorded for Faroe Islands here.
References
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