Curious about the global landscape of cannabis legalization? Wondering which countries embrace the green revolution? Look no further. In this article, we’ll explore the intriguing question: In which countries is weed legal? While the short answer is that the legality of weed varies from nation to nation, the comprehensive picture is far more captivating. We’ll take a global tour, highlighting countries that have taken progressive steps towards legalization, both for medical and recreational purposes. From trailblazers in North America to unexpected champions in Europe and beyond, we’ll uncover the countries where cannabis is gaining legal acceptance.
Where in the world is weed legal?
1. The United States of America
The US has complex laws on cannabis with different laws in each state. Federally cannabis is still illegal however, some states have legalized medicinal and recreational marijuana and others have decriminalized it.
US states where weed is legal: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, and Washington. Additionally, Washington, D.C., has also legalized recreational marijuana.
2. Argentina
Another country where marijuana is not fully legalized, but it has been decriminalized for personal use. Possession of small amounts of cannabis will only result in a fine rather than criminal charges. However, cultivation and sale remain illegal.
3. Australia
Yet another country with complicated cannabis laws. It remains illegal in most states, however, ACT has legalized personal consumption and cultivation of up to 2 plants. NT have also decriminalized personal use with residents able to grow up to 2 plants.
4. Canada
The first of the G7 countries to fully legalize recreational cannabis nationwide in 2018. Possession of up to 30 grams is allowed for personal use and individuals can grow up to four plants at home. The sale of marijuana is also permitted through government-run or licensed private shops.
5. Colombia
Colombia has legalized medical marijuana, with legislation passed in 2016. However, recreational use is still prohibited and carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
6. Cost Rica
Costa Rica has also not legalized cannabis, with both medical and recreational use remaining illegal. However, small amounts of cannabis for personal use have now been decriminalized, and personal use does not carry any criminal penalty.
7. Croatia
Croatia has approved legislation that permits the use of cannabis-based medicines for certain medical conditions. However, recreational use remains outlawed, and enforcement of prohibition can be strict.
8. Czech Republic
Another country where cannabis laws are a bit complicated. While it is still classified as an illegal drug, possession of up to 10 grams of THC or growing up to 5 plants for personal use has been decriminalized.
9. Denmark
Still yet to legalize weed, however, Denmark has made it onto our list because of a region called Christiania that is situated in the centre of Copenhaged. Also known as Freetown Christiania, it is a self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood where the sale and consumption of cannabis have been tolerated, although it is not officially legal. The Danish authorities generally adopt a lenient approach towards cannabis use in Christiania and it is relatively openly used and sold in the region.
10. Georgia
In 2018 legalized possession and consumption but have yet to legalize the sale of cannabis.
11. Germany
Another country that has not fully legalized cannabis, but instead allows it for medical purposes. The use of marijuana is classified as a narcotic drug and therefore heavily regulated by the government although this is likely to change in the near future. While private consumption may be allowed in certain circumstances, smoking weed in public spaces is strictly prohibited.
12. Italy
Italy has also legalized medical use of cannabis, but recreational use remains illegal.
13. Israel
Israel has approved the use of medical cannabis for certain conditions and has even been a leader in cannabis research, but recreational use remains illegal.
14. Jamaica
Jamaica as decriminalized small amounts of marijuana for personal use, but it remains illegal to sell or cultivate.
15. Luxembourg
Luxembourg in 2001 by became the first country in the world to fully legalize cannabis. This means that adults over the age of 18 can legally purchase and possess up to 30 grams of cannabis for personal use. However, selling or distributing marijuana without a license is still illegal.
16. Malta
Malta legalized possession, consumption and cultivation in 2021 but the sale and distribution of cannabis still remain illegal.
17. Mexico
Mexico is one of the most recent countries to legalize cannabis for recreational and medicinal uses. You can now carry up to 5 grams of weed legally.
18. The Netherlands
While technically still illegal, the sale and use of cannabis in coffee shops has been tolerated by law enforcement since the 1970s. Medical marijuana is approved for certain conditions and may be cultivated with a permit.
19. Portugal
A unique country when it comes to drug policy. In 2001, the Portuguese government approved legislation that decriminalized the possession and use of all drugs, including marijuana. However, although decriminalized it isn’t yet fully legal.
20. Spain
One of the few countries in Europe that has legalized marijuana for both medicinal and recreational use. Spain first decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis in 1974, but it wasn’t until 2021 that a new law fully allowed people to grow, purchase, possess, and smoke marijuana.
21. South Africa
South Africa made history by becoming the first country on the continent to legalize cannabis for personal use. A court ruling in 2018 allowed individuals to grow and consume their own cannabis in private, but it is still illegal to smoke in public or sell to others.
22. Switzerland
While recreational use remains illegal, possession of up to 10 grams is considered a minor offense and is punishable by a small fine. Additionally, some cantons (local states) have even allowed for the creation of cannabis social clubs where members can purchase and consume cannabis in a private setting.
23. Thailand
Is one of the latest countries to fully legalize marijuana and as of June 9th, 2022, the government has legalized cannabis use including possession, cultivation and sale. However, there are some caveats to this such as the law only applies to Thai citizens and for cultivation you must have a license. Despite these laws not applying for tourists, Thailand’s approach to policing it has meant that thousands of dispensaries have popped up and are currently openly selling to tourists with little to no incidents.
24. Uruguay
The first country in the world to legalize marijuana back in 2013. Selling marijuana outside of government-regulated pharmacies is still outlawed.
Table of cannabis legality by country
| Country | Medical Legalization | Recreational Legalization | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | No | No | Cannabis cultivation for hashish production |
| Albania | No | No | Illegal, but widespread cultivation |
| Algeria | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Andorra | No | No | Illegal, but tolerated for personal use |
| Angola | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Argentina | Yes | No | Limited to specific medical conditions |
| Armenia | No | No | Illegal, cultivation for personal use tolerated |
| Australia | Yes | No | Varies by state/territory |
| Austria | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Azerbaijan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Bahamas | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Bahrain | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Bangladesh | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Barbados | No | No | Illegal, decriminalized for personal use |
| Belarus | No | No | Illegal, strict penalties for possession |
| Belgium | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Belize | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Benin | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Bhutan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Bolivia | Yes | No | Traditional and medicinal use permitted |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Botswana | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Brazil | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Brunei | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Bulgaria | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Burkina Faso | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Burundi | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Cambodia | No | No | Illegal, but widespread cultivation |
| Cameroon | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Canada | Yes | Yes | Legalized nationwide in 2018 |
| Cape Verde | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Central African Republic | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Chad | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Chile | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| China | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Colombia | Yes | No | Cultivation for medical and scientific purposes |
| Comoros | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Congo (Brazzaville) | No | No | Illegal, but cultivation widespread |
| Congo (Kinshasa) | No | No | Illegal, but cultivation widespread |
| Costa Rica | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Croatia | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Cuba | No | No | Illegal, but cultivation widespread |
| Cyprus | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Czech Republic | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Denmark | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Djibouti | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Dominica | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Dominican Republic | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| East Timor | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Ecuador | Yes | No | Limited to specific medical conditions |
| Egypt | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| El Salvador | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Equatorial Guinea | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Eritrea | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Estonia | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Eswatini | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Ethiopia | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Fiji | No | No | Illegal, but widespread cultivation |
| Finland | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| France | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| French Polynesia (Bora Bora) | No | No | Illegal, penalties for possession. |
| Gabon | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Gambia | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Georgia | No | No | Illegal, cultivation tolerated |
| Germany | Yes | No | Prescribed by doctors for specific conditions |
| Ghana | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Greece | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Grenada | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Guatemala | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Guinea | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Guinea-Bissau | No | No | Illegal, but widespread cultivation |
| Guyana | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Haiti | No | No | Illegal, but cultivation widespread |
| Honduras | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Hungary | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Iceland | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| India | Yes | No | Permitted for medical and traditional use |
| Indonesia | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Iran | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Iraq | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Ireland | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Israel | Yes | No | Permitted for medical and scientific use |
| Italy | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Jamaica | Yes | Yes | Permitted for religious, medical, and scientific |
| Japan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Jordan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Kazakhstan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Kenya | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Kiribati | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Kuwait | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Kyrgyzstan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Laos | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Latvia | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Lebanon | Yes | No | Permitted for medical and industrial use |
| Lesotho | Yes | No | Cultivation for medical and research purposes |
| Liberia | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Libya | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Liechtenstein | No | No | Illegal, but tolerated for personal use |
| Lithuania | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Luxembourg | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Madagascar | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Malawi | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Malaysia | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Maldives | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Mali | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Malta | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Marshall Islands | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Mauritania | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Mauritius | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Mexico | Yes | Yes | Legalized for recreational use in limited quantities |
| Micronesia | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Moldova | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Monaco | No | No | Illegal, but tolerated for personal use |
| Mongolia | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Montenegro | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Morocco | No | No | Illegal, but cultivation widespread |
| Mozambique | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Myanmar (Burma) | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Namibia | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Nauru | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Nepal | Yes | No | Permitted for religious and traditional use |
| Netherlands | Yes | No | Tolerated in designated coffee shops |
| New Zealand | Yes | Yes | Legalized for recreational use in 2020 |
| Nicaragua | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Niger | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Nigeria | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| North Korea | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| North Macedonia | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Norway | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Oman | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Pakistan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Palau | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Palestine | Yes | No | Permitted for medical and scientific use |
| Panama | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Papua New Guinea | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Paraguay | Yes | No | Permitted for medical and scientific use |
| Peru | Yes | No | Permitted for medical and scientific use |
| Philippines | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Poland | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Portugal | Yes | No | Decriminalized, not legalized |
| Qatar | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Romania | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Russia | No | No | Illegal, but cultivation widespread |
| Rwanda | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Saint Lucia | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Samoa | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| San Marino | No | No | Illegal, but tolerated for personal use |
| Sao Tome and Principe | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Saudi Arabia | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Senegal | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Serbia | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Seychelles | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Sierra Leone | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Singapore | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Slovakia | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Slovenia | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Solomon Islands | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Somalia | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| South Africa | Yes | No | Personal use decriminalized |
| South Korea | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| South Sudan | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Spain | Yes | No | Personal cultivation and private use tolerated |
| Sri Lanka | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Sudan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Suriname | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Sweden | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Switzerland | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| Syria | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Taiwan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Tajikistan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Tanzania | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Thailand | Yes | No | Permitted for medical and research purposes |
| Togo | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Tonga | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Trinidad and Tobago | No | No | Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use |
| Tunisia | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Turkey | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Turkmenistan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Tuvalu | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Uganda | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Ukraine | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| United Arab Emirates | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| United Kingdom | Yes | No | Prescribed for medical use |
| United States | Yes | Yes | Varies by state; legal for medical/recreational |
| Uruguay | Yes | Yes | First country to fully legalize cannabis |
| Uzbekistan | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Vanuatu | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Vatican City | No | No | Illegal, but tolerated for personal use |
| Venezuela | No | No | Illegal, but cultivation widespread |
| Vietnam | No | No | Illegal, cultivation widespread |
| Yemen | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Zambia | No | No | Illegal, harsh penalties for possession |
| Zimbabwe | Yes | No | Permitted for medical and scientific use |
