Legality of cannabis by country

Caution: the legal status of cannabis is evolving rapidly. This list may be out of date.

Cannabis laws throughout the world

A visual summary of worldwide medical and recreational cannabis laws

The legality of cannabis for general or recreational use varies from country to country. Possession of cannabis is illegal in most countries as a result of the agreement about Indian hemp, also known as hashish, in the International Opium Convention (1925). However, many countries have decriminalized the possession of small quantities of cannabis; see the list below.

Some states in the US allow use of medical cannabis in state, territorial, Indian reservation, and Federal district laws, although the use is illegal by federal law. Federal agencies claim that federal law comes first.

As of 2015, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Czech Republic, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Uruguay, Germany, the Netherlands, some U.S. states, indian reservations, and cities as well as some territories of Australia have the least restrictive cannabis laws while China, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam have the strictest cannabis laws.

Country/Territory	Possession	Sale	Transport	Cultivation	Notes
Albania	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	The law of prohibition exists but however with high availability of cannabis plants throughout the country, this law is often unenforced.
Algeria	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Possession is illegal.
Argentina	Illegal (decriminalized for personal use in small amounts)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Decriminalized for personal use in small amounts and for consumption in private locations, the Supreme Court ruled in 2009. Public consumption is generally accepted among young adults. Consumption for medical purposes is accepted but not legislated (only in private locations). Cultivating, selling and transporting large amounts is illegal and punishable by present laws.
Australia	Illegal (decriminalized in some states)	Illegal	Illegal	One or two plants may be privately grown for personal use in the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia. Personal grows of up to two plants are decriminalized in the Northern Territory.	Main article: Cannabis in Australia Decriminalized for personal use in small amounts in the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and the Northern Territory. It is a criminal offence in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. In SA a person can legally grow 1 non-hydroponic plant, and in the ACT 2 non-hydroponic plants may be grown on their own property for personal use, and in the N.T two non-hydroponic plants can be fined $200 with 28 days to pay rather than face criminal charge. Enforcement varies from state to state, though a criminal conviction for possession of a small amount is unlikely and diversion programs in these states aim to divert offenders into education, assessment and treatment programs. With the rapid expansion in hydroponically grown cannabis cultivation, the Australian Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act (1985) was amended in 2006, reducing the amount of cannabis grown indoors under hydroponic conditions that qualifies as a 'commercial quantity' or as a 'large quantity'. On the 17th of October 2015, the Federal Government announced that it would legalise the growing of cannabis for medicinal and scientific purposes
Austria	Illegal (In case of "small quantities" (20 grams of pure THC or less), legal proceedings are always dropped by the procuratorial if the offender is caught for the first time.) Decriminalized as of January 2016.	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Posession, cultivation, sale and transport of small quantities (< 200 g) are punishable by up to 1 year imprisonment, or up to 6 months when for personal use only (option of alternative therapy and subsequent waiving of sentence). Sale is punishable by up to 3 years imprisonment, or up to 1 year if the perpetrator is addicted. Sale, transport and cultivation of larger quantities (> 200 g) are punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment, or up to 3 years if the perpetrator is addicted. Higher penalties for organized crime. Regardless of a criminal conviction, anyone caught with cannabis by the police may have their driving license revoked (often illegally), unless they show prolonged abstinence from cannabis in several supervised urine tests. Cannabis is considered a drug if it contains more than 0.3% of THC, if less, it's legal.
Bangladesh	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Consumption of both opium and cannabis are illegal in Bangladesh. However, there are no sufficient local laws to control the consumption.
Belgium	Illegal (decriminalized up to 3 grams)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal(decriminalized) one plant	Since 2003, adults over the age of 18 had been allowed to possess up to 3 grams.
Belize	Illegal, but mostly tolerated	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Cannabis use in Belize is common and largely tolerated; however, possession can result in fines or imprisonment. In 2012, the Government of Belize announced that it was considering decriminalizing possession of 10 grams or less.
Bolivia	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Bolivia has recently passed laws regarding set personal limit use, but has not completely legalized it.
Botswana	Illegal, but mostly unenforced	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Cannabis (or Dagga) is illegal, but the respective laws are often unenforced.
Brazil	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal (entail a warning and education on the effect of use)	The possession of illegal drugs like cannabis (for personal consumption) entails a warning, community service and education on the effects of drug use. The same measures apply to the planting and/or preparation of small amounts of any illegal drug. Selling and transportation of any illegal drugs, as well as the possession or cultivation of larger amounts is characterized as drug trafficking, a criminal act punished with 5 to 15 years in prison and a significant fine.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal
Belarus	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal
Bulgaria	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Cannabis is classified as a class A (High-risk) drug, together with Heroin, Cocaine, Amphetamines and MDMA (ecstasy). Until 2004, a loosely defined "personal dose" existed. Since 2006, after the last amendment of the Penal Code, the penalty for possession is 1 to 6 years in prison and a fine between 1,000 and 5,000 euros. For possession with an aim of distribution (drug-dealing), the sentence can range from 2 to 8 years for small amounts, to 3 to 12 years for large amounts, up to 5 to 15 years when executed by an organized criminal group. In these cases, the maximum fine to be determined together with the prison time is 50,000 euros. Growing is punishable by 2 to 5 years and a fine up to 5,000 euros. The organizer of a growers group can receive a jail sentence of 10 to 20 years and has to pay a fine of up to 100,000 euros, a participant 3 to 10 years in prison and a fine of 2,500 to 5,000 euros. Bulgarian Penal Code (translation requested)
Cambodia	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal (decriminalized)	While technically illegal, the use of cannabis is widespread among the Khmer people and foreigners visiting the country. Marijuana can easily be purchased and smoked in public areas without the threat of arrest. Many "Happy" restaurants located in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville publicly offer food cooked with marijuana, or as a side garnish.
Canada	Illegal (but mostly tolerated and effectively legal in some cities)	Illegal (Legalized & regulated by some cities)	Illegal	Illegal (Small amounts of plants tolerated)	Legal with government issued licence for medical or industrial purposes. Widely used and tolerated in some bigger cities. Justin Trudeau, elected Liberal Prime Minister of Canada in October 2015 has said he will introduce legislation to legalise, tax and regulate the sale of Cannabis. See Legislation: "Controlled Drugs and Substances Act" Main article: Legal history of cannabis in Canada
Chile	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal (medical use only)	Illegal	Legal (since 2015)	In 2005, Law 20.000 formally decriminalised private and personal cannabis use. Since 2014, Chile allows the cultivation of medical cannabis with the authorization of The Chilean Agriculture Service (SAG). Cultivation of marijuana, personal or collective, is legal in Chile. The Supreme Court ruled in 2015. Sale of marijuana-derived medication is allowed on prescription in pharmacies, from December 2015. Currently in 2015, a bill which will allow Chileans to grow small amounts of marijuana for medical, recreational or spiritual use has been approved by the country's lower house of Congress.
People's Republic of China	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal
Colombia	Legal for up to 22 grams for personal use. No limit for medical or scientific purpose, and if licensed by the "National Anti-narcotics Council"	Legal for medical and scientific use only	Legal for medical and scientific use only	Legal up to 20 plants for personal consumption. No limit for medical or scientific use, and if licensed by the "National Anti-narcotics Council"	Since 1994, cannabis has been legalized for possession of small amounts up to 22 grams for personal consumption. It is legal to possess up to 20 plants for personal consumption On 22 December 2015, the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, signed a decree legalising the cultivation, consumption, export, and import of cannabis strictly for medical and scientific purposes.
Comoros	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Cannabis was legal during the Comorian historical period between January 1975 and May 1978, when president Ali Soilih legalized cannabis consumption among other measures.
Costa Rica	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal (decriminalized)	Some interpret the law to say Cannabis is illegal, but there is a high tolerance of smoking marijuana throughout the country. A decriminalization system is de facto implemented, since police officers do not detain people carrying enough for only personal consumption, yet no amount has been defined as a minimum for possession. The usage of cannabis in Costa Rica is very high.
Croatia	Illegal (decriminalised)	Illegal (medical use only)	Illegal	Illegal	From 2013, there is distinction in the Croatian penal code between various illegal substances, they are now separated on heavy drugs and light drugs like Marijuana. According to the law, growing or selling cannabis is considered a felony punishable by a mandatory prison sentence (three years minimum), and from 2013, the possession of small amount of marijuana and other light drugs is a misdemeanor which leads to a fine of 5000–20000kn ($800–3500) depending on the case in question. As of 15 October 2015, the Ministry of Health has officially legalized the use of cannabis-based drugs for medical purposes for patients with illnesses such as cancer, multiple sclerosis or AIDS.
Cyprus	Illegal (small amount decriminalized for medical uses...)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal (decriminalized for some farms to grow Hemp)	Class B substance – life imprisonment is possible for use and maximum 8 years for possession (at the maximum two years for the first offence for under 25-year-olds). In practice, a mere warning may be given to a minor unconscious first offender.
Czech Republic	Illegal (possession of up to 10g decriminalized)	Purchase of up to 10g legal; sale of medical cannabis legal, otherwise sale illegal)	Illegal (up to 10g decriminalized/Medical subject to license legal)	Illegal (cultivation of up to 5 bushes decriminalized/cultivation for medical purposes subject to license legal)	Main article: Drug policy of the Czech Republic Possession of up to ten grams for personal use or cultivation of up to five plants is merely a misdemeanor. Popular destination for smokers. Medical use of cannabis on prescription has been legal and regulated since 1 April 2013.
Denmark	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	As with all drugs, cannabis-related offences are punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to 2 years Freetown Christiania, a self-declared autonomous region, is known for its cannabis trade. Police often raid the area around Christiania.
Dominica	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Class B drug to cultivate, sell or possess
Ecuador	Illegal (decriminalized) up to 10 grams	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	As defined by Law 108, possession of small amounts of cannabis is decriminalized. Possession of under 10 grams is considered personal use and it is not punished.
Egypt	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Although technically illegal, use is widespread and part of every day culture. Convictions for personal use are very rare. Formerly a plant of high status with several documented medicinal uses in ancient times, cannabis was made illegal in 1925 with the League of Nations’ Geneva International Convention on Narcotic Control, and has been aggressively targeted at various points since then.
Estonia	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Up to 7.5 grams is considered an amount for personal use, and is punished with a fine. Large amounts and distribution are criminal offences and punishable with a custodial sentence of up to 5 years.
Ethiopia	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Despite being the spiritual homeland of the Rastafari movement, possession of cannabis can result in up to 6 months imprisonment.
Finland	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	An extremely limited group of medicinal users (12 people as of 31 January 2010, estimated 200 people in 2014) are permitted to purchase Sativex mouth spray and/or Bedrocan, Bediol or Bedica brand herbal cannabis from one of 27 apothecaries that have the permit to sell medicinal marijuana.
France	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Cultivating, selling, owning or consuming cannabis is prohibited. However, legislation permitting the sale of medications containing cannabis derivatives was enacted in June 2013.
Germany	Legal (Legal if permission is given by "Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices")	Legal (Legal if permission is given by "Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices")	Legal (Legal if permission is given by "Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices")	Legal (Legal if permission is given by "Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices")	The possession of cannabis is illegal, while consumption itself is legal on the basis of it being considered self-harm, which is not considered a crime. The possession of small amounts is prosecuted, but charges are virtually always dropped. The definition of this "small amount" varies depending on the federal state, the state of Berlin being the most liberal, allowing 15 grams for personal use in most cases, while most states do not prosecute up to 6 grams. It is also possible to obtain a special permission by the "Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices" to obtain, possess and consume cannabis as a part of medically supervised and accompanied self-therapy. By January 2015, 382 patients have obtained such a permission. Furthermore Cannabis cultivation and possession can be permitted to scientific institutions or administrative bodies. Pharmacies can obtain a special permission to sell cannabis or cannabis based medication to patients with a permission.
Greece	Illegal (but the amount of half a gram or 2 cigarettes decriminalised if made sure to be for personal use)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Possession or use of even small amounts is illegal in Greece, but if found to be for personal use it's decriminalized in court. Individuals are arrested, although rarely convicted by court. Possession of large quantities may lead to several years in prison. The Government was said to be preparing a bill that would decriminalize the use of drugs in August 2011, but the legislation was not changed at all.
Greenland	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal
Honduras	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	The possession, sale, transportation and cultivation of cannabis is illegal in Honduras.
Hong Kong	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	The possession, sale, transportation, cultivation of cannabis is illegal under the Dangerous Drug Ordinance. (Chapter 134 of the Law of Hong Kong)
Hungary	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	There is no distinction in Hungarian law between illicit drugs according to dangers. Heroin use has the same legal consequences as cannabis use. Hungarian law prohibits the distribution, and any use (including medical use). However the Penal code distinguishes the punishment between sale and personal use. 283. § (1) paragraph (a) states that "One cannot be punished for drug misuse; if a small, personal amount is produced, acquired, or in possession..." and continues to state that "... provided that before final verdict is determined a verification is provided that continuous 6-month therapy has taken place" The law determines that a "personal quantity" is defined as 1 gram of active substance (i.e. THC), therefore this equates to 12–100 grams of marijuana if calculated that marijuana contains 1–8% THC per unit mass. Possession of larger amounts can lead to a 5–10-year prison sentence.
Iceland	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Consumption is illegal even in small amounts. Possession, sale, transportation and cultivation could result in jail time. Possession is not strictly enforced. Heavy fines are given.
Indonesia	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Minimum sentence of four years in prison (additional fines may apply) if caught in possession. However, if the user voluntarily reports himself/herself to the police, or is reported by his/her family, the charges will be dropped in accordance to 2009 Narcotics Act, article 24 paragraph 2, 3, 4.
India	Illegal, but legal and/or tolerated (for personal use in small quantity) in several states such as West Bengal,gujrat, Bihar, Orissa Tripura, and the North East.	Illegal, but legal and/or tolerated in several states such as West Bengal,gujrat, Bihar, Orissa Tripura, and the North East.	Illegal, but legal and/or tolerated in several states such as West Bengalgujrat,, Bihar, Orissa Tripura, and the North East	Illegal, but legal and/or tolerated in several states such as West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa Tripura,gujrat, and the North East	Government-owned shops in holy cities like Varanasi and few other north Indian states sell cannabis in the form of bhang. Despite the high prevalent usage, this law is Illegal but rarely enforced and treated as a low priority across India. Large tracts of cannabis grow unchecked in the wild in many parts of northern and southern India. Many states such as West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa Tripura,gujrat, and the gujrat have their own laws allowing cannabis, locally known as ganja.
Ireland	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	In November 2013, a bill was presented to the Irish government by TD Luke 'Ming' Flanagan to legalize Cannabis in the country. However the Cannabis Regulation Bill 2013 was defeated by a margin of 111–8 in Dáil Éireann on 6 November. It was the first bill of its kind in a National Parliament in Europe. In November 2015, the government announced that it would move towards decriminalising cannabis, cocaine and heroin for personal use.
Israel	Illegal (legal for medicinal use only)	Illegal (but legal for medicinal use only)	Illegal (but legal for medicinal use only)	Illegal	With it being illegal, however there have been attempts of legalizing recreative use of marijuana and decriminalization of up to 5 grams for adults 21 years of age yet medical use is approved but is a challenge to acquire a prescription and is legislated only for people with terminal illnesses , recreative use depending on amount is punishable by fine and maximum imprisonment of 3 years for simple possession .
Italy	Illegal (decriminalized, legal for medical usage)	Illegal	IlIegal	Illegal	Possession of small amounts for personal use is a misdemeanor subject to fines and the suspension of documents (passports and/or drivers licenses). The sale of cannabis products is illegal and punishable by imprisonment; cultivation is likewise punishable by imprisonment, even if in small amounts and for exclusive personal use. Licensed cultivation for medical and industrial use is strictly regulated.
Jamaica	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal	Illegal	Legal	On 25 February 2015, the Jamaican House of Representatives passed a law decriminalizing possession of up to 2 ounces of cannabis. The new law includes provisions legalizing the cultivation for personal use of up to 5 plants, as well as setting up regulations for the cultivation and distribution of cannabis for medical, religious purposes and natural growth. The legislation is expected to have "positive implications" for Jamaica, such as "acknowledging the constitutional rights of the Rastafari community, who use ganja as a sacrament" and reduce "the heavy burden of cases on the Resident Magistrates' Courts," according to the Justice Ministry. Among the amendments is one mandating the creation of a Cannabis Licensing Authority that would grant permits for the cultivation, processing, distribution and sale of marijuana for medicinal, scientific and therapeutic purposes.
Japan	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Use and possession are punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment and a fine. Cultivation, sale, and transport are punishable by up to 7 or 10 years imprisonment and a fine.
Jordan	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal (decriminalized)	Possession and personal use have been decriminalized effective November 17, 2015. Jordan is the first Arab state to do so.
Laos	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	As of 2009, a mandatory death penalty is applied for certain cases.
Latvia	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Cannabis is illegal in Latvia. Possession of larger quantities can be punished with up to 15 years in prison. Possession of quantities up to 1 gram are fined up to 280 euro, for second offences within a year period criminal charges are applied.
Lebanon	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Possession is illegal. However, large amounts are grown within the country and personal use, as long as not in public is not a major issue.
Lithuania	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	As with all drugs, is a misdemeanour to possess a small quantity (less than 5g of herb or 0.25g of resin) and is punished by fine up to 6250 litas (2.100$), an arrest of 10–45 days, or restriction of freedom up to 2 years. Crime to possess more than a small quantity, is punished by more than 2 years of prison.
Luxembourg	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Possession, transportation and consumption are illegal. Prosecution depends on the amount of cannabis one possesses. Since 2001, prison penalty has been substituted by a monetary fine ranging from 250 to 2500 Euros.
Macau	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal
Macedonia	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	If one possesses a larger amount, a jail sentence of anywhere from three months to five years could possibly be given.
Malaysia	illegal	illegal	illegal	illegal	Malaysian legislation provides for a mandatory death penalty for convicted drug traffickers. Individuals arrested in possession of 15 grams (1/2 ounce) of heroin or 200 grams (seven ounces) of marijuana are presumed by law to be trafficking in drugs.
Malta	Illegal (decriminalized up to 3.5g)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal (Cultivation of a cannabis plant for personal use will no longer be punishable by a mandatory prison sentence or suspended sentence specialized doctors will be allowed to prescribe medical cannabis)	Simple possession will still remain an "arrestable offense" is for the police to be able to fight drug trafficking, and says that the possession of a minimal amount of drugs for personal consumption will effectively be decriminalized.First-time offenders will be handed fines of between between €50 and €100 in the case of cannabis possession. Repeat offenders will appear before a Drug Offenders Rehabilitation Board, headed by retired Chief of Justice, which will set conditions for rehabilitation. Breaching the conditions would be tantamount to a criminal offence. The Magistrates Court - in cases not involving the use of weapons or violence - would be able t acts as a Drugs Court and refer the accused for treatment to the rehabilitation board.
Mexico	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal (decriminalized)	Main article: Mexican Drug War On 21 August 2009 Mexico decriminalized "personal use" possession of up to five grams of Cannabis. In November 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that four individuals from the Mexican Society for Responsible and Tolerant Personal Use would be permitted to grow and smoke their own marijuana. The court voted 4-1 that prohibiting people from growing the drug for consumption was unconstitutional as it violated the human right to the free development of one’s personality.
Montenegro	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal
Nepal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Marijuana and its derivatives, such as Hashish, are widely available throughout Nepal.
Netherlands	Legal (possession up to 5 grams, decriminalized on public use, legal for use in 'coffeeshop')	Legal only for 'coffeeshops'	Illegal (but unenforced for 'coffeeshops')	Illegal (decriminalized up to 5 plants, plants are generally still destroyed.)	Main article: Drug policy of the Netherlands Cannabis products are only sold openly in certain local "coffeeshops" and possession of up to 5 grams for personal use is decriminalized, however: the policy may still confiscate it, which notably happens in car checks near the border. Other types of sales and transportation are not permitted, although the general legal approach toward cannabis was before de facto decriminalization.
New Zealand	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	See also: Cannabis in New Zealand Cultivation, possession or sale of cannabis is illegal. The fruit, seeds, and any other part of the plant are scheduled as Class C substances. Hashish, hash oil, THC, and any other preparations containing THC made by processing the plant are scheduled as Class B substances. In July 2009, a bill promoted by Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei amending the law to permit the use of medicinal cannabis was defeated 84–34 at its first reading, with all members of the ruling National Party voting against it.
North Korea	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal
Northern Mariana Islands	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Main articles: Legal history of cannabis in the United States and United States A bill was passed to legalize marijuana. But the governor will only allow medical cannabis to be legal.
Norway	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Up to 15 grams is considered an amount for personal use, and is punished with a fine in the case of first-time offenders; possessing more is punished more harshly. Repeat offenders or dealers can face prison charges. The type of fine given for drug offences are of the more serious category, and will appear on a criminal record. Young first-time offenders are routinely compelled to consent to regular drug testing to avoid prosecution. Up to one kilo is punished with up to 2 years in prison. If the amount is larger, the limit is 10 years. Amounts over 80 kilos are punished with sentences of 3 to 15 years, and in very serious cases up to 21 years is permitted.
Pakistan	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	The use of cannabis is strongly prohibited in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Anyone who is caught with the possession of weed is sent straight to jail. It is prohibited because of its Islamic cultures. Pakistan burned drugs worth two Billion USD to spread its message to the youth and to the world, Pakistan strongly condemns the usage of drugs. .
Panama	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Panama are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
Paraguay	Illegal (decriminalized up to 10 grams)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	In Paraguay, Law N° 1.340 (Art. 30), exempted from punishment those in possession of a maximum of 10 grams of marijuana for personal consumption.
Peru	Illegal (decriminalized up to 8 grams)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Possession is decriminalized Art. 299 of the Criminal Code. Possession of under 8 grams is considered personal use and it is not punished. Illegal: Cultivation, production or sell is punished with 8 to 15 years in prison.
Philippines	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, makes provision for restricted medical use.
Poland	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	On 26 May 2011, Poland introduced legislation to terminate the prosecution for possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use. The law introduces the possibility when a person has negligible amounts of drugs for personal use and is not a dealer. But this is only theory, in practice it's still illegal. The legislation raised the maximum possible penalty for placing a large number of drugs from 10 to 12 years in prison. However, for possession of large quantities of drugs would result up to 10 years in prison (previously up to 8 years).
Portugal	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal (decriminalized)	In 2001, Portugal became the first country in the world to decriminalize the use of all drugs, and started treating drug users as sick people, instead of criminals, although one can be arrested or assigned mandatory rehab if caught several times in possession. See Drug policy of Portugal.
Puerto Rico	Illegal (medical use only)	Illegal (medical use only)	Illegal (medical use only)	Legal (medical use only)	Main article: Legal history of cannabis in the United States The Governor of Puerto Rico signed a executive order to legalize cannabis for medicinal use only.
Romania	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Romania was (before 1990) a leader in hemp fiber, second only to China. However, possession of small quantities of drug preparations is punishable by a small fine of about $150–200 USD. Possession of large amounts may result in 3–6 years of jail time, and sale may result in more than 6 years jail time. Decriminalization proposed. Medical use is legal under certain conditions.
Russia	Illegal (decriminalized), possession of quantities of up to 6 grams	Illegal	Illegal (decriminalized), transport of quantities of up to 6 grams	Illegal (decriminalized), cultivation of up to 20 plants	Cannabis seeds contain no controlled substances and are not regulated. Posession of quantities from 6 to 100 grams is a criminal offence with punishment ranging from fine to 2 years in prison.
Saudi Arabia	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Use and possession for personal use of any kind of recreational drugs is punishable by imprisonment if caught. Imprisonment for personal use could go up to six months jail time or more. Dealing and smuggling of high amounts of drugs usually result in harsher prison time or even execution, although recently executions are rare. Foreigners who use drugs might be deported.
Serbia	Illegal (legal for medicinal use only |-	Illegal (legal for medicinal use only) |-	Illegal	Illegal	Possession is punishable by a fine or by imprisonment of up to 3 years. Sale and transport are punishable by imprisonment from 3 to 12 years. Cultivation is punishable by imprisonment from 6 months to 5 years. Higher penalties for organized crime.
Singapore	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Cannabis is a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, making it illegal to cultivate, sell or possess.
Slovakia	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Possession or use of small amounts of Cannabis (or only 1 joint) is punishable by up to eight years in prison. In April 2012, The Wall Street Journal reported that Robert Fico, the incoming Slovak prime minister, might push for partial legalisation of Cannabis possession, and has argued for the legalisation of possession of up to three doses of Cannabis for personal use.
Slovenia	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal	Illegal	Cannabis cultivation is not illegal for cannabis growers, growing cannabis with ≤ 0.2 % THC on a ≤ 0.1 ha surface, or ≥ 0.1 ha surface with a governmental permit for cannabis cultivation.	There was a proposal of 2012 that would decriminalize medical cannabis, failed with not enough support. The petition for support for medical marijuana decriminalization for was re-proposed in 2013, succeeded in gaining enough public support for legal cannabis. Slovenian government instead re-classified cannabinoids from Class I to Class II illegal drugs, thus allowing medical use of cannabinoid drugs but not medical marijuana., Possession of any drug for personal use in small one-time quantities is not a criminal act in Slovenia and there by considered decriminalized. It is instead a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of 42-210 eur or up to 5 days of jail. This can be reduced further if the offender agrees into treatment. The policy is similar to the one in Portugal.
Somalia	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal
South Africa	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal
South Korea	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Cannabis "is illegal in South Korea." South Koreans can be prosecuted in South Korea for use of cannabis in other countries as well, as happened to a South Korean-American hip hop artist who will "spend eight long months in a [South] Korean prison" for his cannabis use while in the U.S.
Spain	Illegal (Private areas only, it is illegal in in public areas yet it is decriminalised and only leads to an administrative offense)	Illegal	Illegal (decriminalized)	Legal (Only for own consumption. If the plants are located somewhere visible from the street/public place, it's an administrative offense)	Sale and transportation of any quantity of cannabis is a criminal offence, punishable by jail time. The purchase, possession and consumption of cannabis in a public place constitutes a misdemeanour and punishable by a fine and confiscation of the product. Consumption and cultivation by adults in a private space is legal, the latter due to a legal vacuum. Cannabis plants that located somewhere visible from the street/public place (ie. from balconies) are considered a serious administrative offense, which leads to a fine from 601 to 30.000€. About 500 private "cannabis clubs" exist in Spain, 200 of them in Barcelona, and Spain is spoken of as the "new Amsterdam," a destination for marijuana tourists. All actions related to cannabis apart from sale or trade aren't considered criminal offenses, and normally are misdemeanors punishable by a fine.
Sri Lanka	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Cannabis is illegal in Sri Lanka though it is commonly used in Ayurvedic traditional medicines. Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus use cannabis for religious purposes, often as an aid to meditation or as Pooja offerings. Within the Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka, cannabis is widely used and often grown in gardens and tea, coffee, etc plantations, with 'Satahiva' (Sativa strains traditionally smoked in the mornings and Indica strains, which also grow wild in the colder 'hill country,' used to treat illness and smoked before sleeping. Little is done to enforce laws regarding the legality of cannabis in Sri Lanka and it can be bought easily and openly at very cheap prices, it is also found growing wild all over the country.
Sweden	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Further information: Drug policy of Sweden It is illegal to sell, transfer, purchase, use or possess any quantity of cannabis in Sweden. Social stigmatisation through social rejection and exclusion from the labourmarket and social services are the most common sanctions in matters regarding personal use. The national police runs a "disturb and annoy" program aimed at users supported by the national "totally tolerance" policy. .
Switzerland	Illegal (decriminalized)	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Main article: Cannabis in Switzerland Cannabis is decriminalized for possession, sale or transport is Illegal but cultivation is legal in a private property only . However, usually only the minimum penalty is imposed for possession and personal use, even for larger amounts. The federal council has committed to implement changes as to decriminalization of personal use and possession already in 2001, and the parliament is currently tasked to tender concrete approaches. As nothing is coming forth on a parliamentary basis, a referendum was launched in 2008. As of 1 January 2012, the cantons Vaud, Neuchatel, Geneva and Fribourg have allowed the growing and cultivation of up to 4 cannabis plants per person, in an attempt to curb illegal street trafficking, but this cantonal law was unvalidated in October 2012, as federal law must prevail on cantonal law.
Syria	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Under the policies of the government of Bashar al-Assad, many cannabis offences, from simple use to trafficking, reportedly often carried a sentence of life imprisonment. As the country has become destabilised as a result of civil war, people living in areas controlled by Kurdish separatists have begun growing cannabis as a way of making money to fight poverty.
Taiwan	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Cannabis is a schedule 2 narcotic in the ROC, and possession can result in up to ten years imprisonment.
Thailand	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Thailand was Southeast Asia's major producer of cannabis (Thai stick) in the 1970s and 1980s, but subsequent governmental eradication efforts forced traffickers to neighboring countries such as Laos or Cambodia. Some domestic cultivation still occurs in Northeastern Thailand, particularly in Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan and Sakhon Nakhon provinces. According to the Thailand Narcotics Act, B.E. 2522 (1979), possession, cultivation, and transport (import/export) of up to 10 kg cannabis may result in a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and/or a fine. Possession, cultivation, and transport of more than 10 kg is punishable by 2–15 years in prison and/or a fine. For the majority of people arrested for simple possession of small quantities of cannabis ("ganja") a fine, rather than prison time, is imposed. Narcotics police in Thailand currently view methamphetamines (ice and "ya baa") as a more serious issue.
Tunisia	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Laws against cannabis in Tunisia are harsh. Using or possessing entails 1-5 years of imprisonment + 1000-3000 dinars (around 500$-1500$). Selling, transporting or cultivating entails 6-25 years of imprisonment + 5000-100,000 dinars (around 2500$-50,000$). Tunisia still uses urinalysis to prove cases of use without possession. If the urinalysis is below "20 nanogram/litre", defendant will be accused by inhalation which is 6 months of imprisonment.
Turkey	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Consuming any drug (personal use or not) is illegal and requires juridical process. Possessing, purchasing or receiving any illegal drug, including Cannabis, is punishable by 1–2 years in prison; there is also the option of treatment and/or probation for up to three years. If users refuse treatment or do not comply with probation requirements, the courts can decide on sentencing. Sale and supply is punishable by a prison term of 5–10 years, and production or trafficking by a minimum term of 10 years.
Ukraine	Illegal (decriminalized possession of quantities of up to 5 grams)	Illegal	Illegal (decriminalized possession of quantities of up to 5 grams)	Illegal (decriminalized up to 10 plants)
United Arab Emirates	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Even the smallest amounts of the drug can lead to a mandatory four-year prison sentence.
United Kingdom	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Main article: Cannabis in the United Kingdom Cannabis is a Class B drug (moderate risk) in the UK. Police enforcement actions vary.
United States	Illegal at the federal level (but legal at the state level in Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska and the cities of Portland and South Portland, Maine and in Washington, D.C.; decriminalized in 18 states, medicinal legal in 25 states and Guam. All Indian Reservations are allowed to regulate cannabis laws, Laws varies by reservation.)	Illegal at the federal level (but legal at the state level with a state issued license in Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Legal medicinal sales in several additional states. All Indian Reservations are allowed to regulate cannabis laws, Laws varies by reservation. )	Illegal at the federal level (but legal at the state level within the states of Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Legal for medicinal patients in several additional states. All Indian Reservations are allowed to regulate cannabis laws, Laws varies by reservation.)	Illegal at the federal level (but legal at the state level for individuals/commercial in Colorado, Alaska and Oregon, individual but not commercial in Washington, D.C., and only commercially in Washington. Medicinal growing is legal in several states as well. All Indian Reservations are allowed to regulate cannabis laws, Laws varies by reservation.)	Main articles: Legal history of marijuana in the United States and Legality of cannabis by US state Laws vary by state, Territory, Indian Reservation, and the Federal District. Federal law classifies cannabis as a Schedule I substance, the same classification as heroin. The United States Supreme Court has ruled in Gonzales v. Raich that the federal government has the power to regulate and criminalize cannabis, even for medical purposes. The Department of Justice recently allowed recognized Indian reservations to regulate marijuana within their reservation. However, despite the Department of Justice stating that federally recognized Indian reservations have the right to regulate cannabis on their land, the Department of Justice's agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration has been raiding and/or destroying cannabis crops on several reservations creating a double standard among U.S. enforcement agencies.
Uruguay	Legal	Legal	Legal	Legal	Main article: Cannabis in Uruguay José Mujica has fully legalized any use of Cannabis in Uruguay; law does not specify quantity for "personal amount". As of 10 December 2013, the House of Representatives and Senate passed a bill legalizing and regulating the production and sale of the drug. But the president has postponed the implementation to 2015 and parts of the opposition claim that the new law will never be implemented. The new law says that buyers must be 18 or older, residents of Uruguay, and must register with the authorities. Authorities will grow the cannabis that can be sold legally.
Uzbekistan	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Opiates, cannabis and other plants containing psychotropic substances are illegal.
Venezuela	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	As of 15 September 2010 possession of up to 20 grams of Marijuana or 5 grams of genetically modified Marijuana, if proven not to be for medical or personal consumption, is punishable by 1 to 2 years in prison at judge's discretion. If deemed to be for personal consumption, the user is subject to security measures involving rehabilitation and detoxification procedures. Articulos 131 y 153 de la Ley Organica de Drogas.
Vietnam	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal
U.S. Virgin Islands	Illegal (decriminalized), possession of quantities of up to an ounce	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Main articles: Legal history of cannabis in the United States and United States The governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands approved a bill that decriminalized possession of marijuana up to an ounce.
Zimbabwe	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal	Illegal
Country/Territory	Possession	Sale	Transport	Cultivation	Notes

See also

• Marijuana
• Hemp
• Illegal drug trade
• Legality of cannabis by U.S. jurisdiction
• Legal and medical status of cannabis
• Legality of cannabis
• Annual cannabis use by country
• International Narcotics Control Board
• 1946 Lake Success Protocol
• Victimless crime
• Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
• Global Marijuana March
• List of countries by incarceration rate
• Minors and the legality of cannabis