Reconnecting Health, Nature and Medicine

Health for the Future is an international summit taking place in Reykjavík, Iceland, from 18 to 20 September 2026. The event brings together scientists, doctors, policymakers, researchers, patients, advocates, innovators, industry professionals and global thought leaders to explore the future of health through the combined lenses of nature, science, medicine and human wellbeing.

Originally founded as Hemp for the Future, the summit began as a pioneering Icelandic conference platform designed to open honest conversations about plant medicine, cannabis and natural health. It has since grown into a broader international gathering, focused on the connections between medical science, natural systems, patient experience, sustainability, wellness and future models of care.

Set against Iceland’s powerful natural landscape, Health for the Future is designed to be more than a conventional conference. It is a meeting place for real conversation, meaningful connection and bold ideas. The summit creates space for people from different sectors and disciplines to come together, because the future of health will not be shaped by one system, one profession or one industry alone.

The programme explores four key areas: medical and natural health, women’s health and wellness, regenerative systems, and the relationship between nature and human connection. Topics include medical cannabis, the endocannabinoid system, patient access, clinical science, plant-based medicine, hormones, trauma healing, chronic illness, nervous system regulation, menopause, regenerative agriculture, hemp, sustainability, soil health, longevity, mindfulness and nature-based healing.

The summit experience is built around participation and connection. Alongside curated panels, expert conversations and workshops, the programme includes experiential elements such as laughter yoga, sound healing and guided discussions. These sessions are designed to create openness, presence and authentic human connection, supporting the summit’s wider focus on health, community and wellbeing.

The venue for Health for the Future is Iðnó, Reykjavík’s historic theatre by the city pond, in the heart of downtown Reykjavík. 

The setting reflects the character of the summit itself: thoughtful, rooted, international and connected to place.

The event begins on 18 September with an Immersion Day. This includes workshops, expert conversations and connection sessions before the summit formally opens. An invitation-only Industry Workshop and Expert Roundtable will bring together industry professionals, experts, speakers and policymakers for facilitated discussion on medical cannabis, health policy, harm reduction and international models. A Women’s Health and Wellness Workshop will also offer a deeper session for participants interested in women’s health, plant medicine and the endocannabinoid system.

The evening meet and greet will take place at Vesturbæjarsundlaug, one of Reykjavík’s beloved geothermal pools. This informal opening gathering brings together warm welcome, optional hydrotherapy, ambient music and relaxed connection in the hot pots. It is not traditional networking. It is Iceland.

Conference Day One, on 19 September, focuses on medical and women’s health, with international speakers and curated panels covering medical cannabis, plant medicine, patient access, science, research and women’s health. Conference Day Two, on 20 September, turns to regenerative systems, sustainability, human rights, policy and reconnecting with nature, closing with an evening celebration.

Confirmed speakers include

 Dr Ethan Russo, Dr Bonni Goldstein, Chris Kilham, Melanie Wentzel, Vera Twomey, Sara Payan, Dr Shabnam Sarshar, Heidi Whitman, Chad Walkaden, Justin Sinclair, Dr Zubin Marolia, Dr Magnús Þórsson, Ian Rassman and Dustin Hoxworth.

For CTA members and the wider international cannabis, hemp, wellness and plant medicine sectors, Health for the Future offers a distinctive opportunity to engage with global thinking, patient-centred discussions, scientific insight and regenerative approaches to health.

Health for the Future is not just another event. It is a gathering for those asking what health should look like next.

Find out more here!