UK Medical Cannabis Market Set for Shake-Up with BrewDog Founder’s Entry

12 July, 2025

Martin Dickie, co-founder of BrewDog, announced an ambitious £20 million investment over the next five years into his medical cannabis company, Waterside Pharmaceuticals. Located near Newburgh in Aberdeenshire, the company aims to become the UK’s market leader in medical cannabis, following a cultivation license granted by the Home Office in 2024.

The first harvest from Waterside’s high-tech vertical farm—designed to optimize growing conditions with precise lighting cycles—is expected to yield 9 kilograms of medical cannabis. By the end of 2025, production is projected to rise to 200 kilograms. Dickie’s expansion plans include creating up to 100 jobs, constructing a second facility powered by renewable energy, and setting a strong sustainability focus for the business.

The UK legalized medical cannabis prescriptions in 2018, and an estimated 50,000–60,000 patients now rely on cannabis-based medicines. Currently, much of the supply is imported. Local production on this scale could help stabilize the market, potentially lowering costs and improving access for patients. For rural Aberdeenshire, the project promises new employment opportunities and economic diversification, with the added potential of establishing a model for sustainable cannabis farming in the UK.

As the industry evolves, Dickie’s move represents both a business opportunity and a shift toward domestic cannabis production—one that could reshape the UK’s medical cannabis landscape.