Costa Rica’s cannabis industry eyes pharmacy access after export gains

Costa Rica’s medical cannabis sector has reached EU-GACP cultivation, local GMP manufacturing and its first shipment to Europe, but domestic pharmacy sales remain blocked pending product registration. Industry leaders say the next test is turning export readiness into patient access at home.

Why it matters: - Costa Rica’s medical cannabis market has moved from lawmaking to export production, but patients still cannot buy finished cannabis medicines in local pharmacies. - The gap matters because domestic access is now the next major milestone after cultivation and manufacturing capacity were built for export.

What happened: - Cannabis LAB held a live webinar on October 22 in its Global Cannabis Markets Series focused on The State of Costa Rica’s Medical Cannabis Industry: Domestic and Export. - The panel brought together Dr. Stephan Brunner, Cree Crawford, Jorge Luis Calderón Chaves, Riley Shields and Jason Warnock. - The discussion came four years after Costa Rica passed its medical cannabis law. - The country now has an EU-GACP audited cultivation operation, a Ministry of Health licensed THC manufacturing laboratory with a local GMP designation, and its first medicinal cannabis shipment to Europe.

The details: - Dr. Brunner said the law was designed primarily for exports, not the domestic market. - Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health opened registration of cannabis medicines for pharmacy sale under RTCR 515:2024 in June 2025. - Brunner said a remaining laboratory testing and certification issue for domestic registration was expected to be resolved within weeks, which could allow local brands to begin selling. - Jorge Calderón Chaves said exporters have a workable path, but domestic sellers face three bottlenecks. - The first bottleneck is genetics, because few approved cultivars and scarce legal seed are available. - The second bottleneck is crop protection, because no molecules are registered for cannabis pests, so cultivators rely on natural inputs. - The third bottleneck is registering finished medicines so pharmacies can stock them. - Calderón said no finished cannabis product is registered for sale in Costa Rica, so no product is on a pharmacy shelf. - Calderón said chamber members are still hearing daily calls from patients asking where to buy cannabis medicine. - Crawford said Vantage Point Global Corp. entered Costa Rica in 2021 and backed companies that now hold licenses and are preparing for the domestic medical market. - Crawford said Costa Rica was chosen for its people and for strengths in agriculture, medicine and science. - Crawford said Costa Rican licensing carries weight in Europe and other major markets because the requirements are high. - Hybrida Farms built its cultivation team with Costa Rican staff, according to Riley Shields. - Shields said greenhouse production at 1,400 meters near the equator faces intense morning sun, but the site’s climate supports year-round harvest consistency. - Shields said Cartago conditions include humidity under 70 percent even in heavy rain and temperatures from 68 to 88°F, or 20 to 31°C, year-round. - Warnock said Costa Rica’s sunlight, renewable grid and export-agriculture workforce create a strong export niche. - Warnock said buyers look beyond THC levels and also assess consistency, terpene profile and clean handling from greenhouse to pharmacy. - CLAB described itself as a year-round cannabis business association, and said its Global Cannabis Markets Series examines international opportunities, regulation and business development. - Vantage Point Global said its Costa Rican companies include Hybrida Farms, which is an EU-GACP audited cultivator and the country’s first dual THC and hemp licensee, and Vantage Point Global Labs, a Ministry of Health licensed GMP manufacturer with an EU-GMP goal next year.

Between the lines: - Costa Rica’s framework appears to have favored export credibility first, which can help manufacturers win foreign buyers before the home market catches up. - The domestic bottlenecks are not about cultivation alone; the bigger issue is whether regulators can clear the path from plant to registered medicine. - The country’s competitive edge may come from clean, controlled greenhouse production rather than low-cost volume.

What’s next: - The industry is waiting for the remaining laboratory testing and certification issue tied to domestic registration to be resolved. - Once that happens, local brands could begin pharmacy sales if the ministries approve the final steps. - Vantage Point Global Labs is targeting EU-GMP status next year. - Industry leaders expect Costa Rica’s next phase to be defined by whether domestic access can catch up with export success.

The bottom line: - Costa Rica’s cannabis industry is already export-ready. The real test now is whether patients at home can finally buy registered medical products in pharmacies.