In which countries is cannabis legal?
More than a hundred years after its criminalisation, cannabis has become legal again in several countries around the world. In this article we explain some of the countries that decided to liberalise cannabis in different ways and for different purposes.
The first major distinction is between the liberalisation of cannabis for recreational use and for therapeutic use. Some countries allow medical cannabis to be consumed under state control, while others have fully legalised the use of cannabis tout court.
The second distinction is more legal in nature: the difference between legalisation and decriminalisation of cannabis. In some countries cannabis is completely legal, in others it is still illegal. And where it is decriminalised, consumption, cultivation and possession are only punished with administrative penalties, without criminal charges.
In this post we will talk about the situation in Spain and the main countries where cannabis has been legalised.
Is cannabis legal in Spain?
Possession, consumption and cultivation of cannabis for personal use in private are not crimes. In fact, around 100 grams of cannabis is only a guideline that courts use to distinguish personal use from trafficking, not a legally permitted amount. Consuming cannabis in public places is strictly prohibited, with fines from €601 to €30,000. Selling cannabis is illegal, including in cannabis associations like ours, which do not sell: they are private, registered organisations in which members share a collective cultivation. Spain is therefore one of the countries where private cannabis use is decriminalised.
Legal cannabis for recreational use
As mentioned above, some countries have legalised the use of cannabis for recreational use.
Uruguay
The first was Uruguay in 2013, thanks to a law that approved the cultivation, sale and consumption of cannabis. Production is still controlled by the state, although every Uruguayan citizen can grow up to 6 plants for personal use and carry up to 30 grams of cannabis in public places.
Canada
In 2018 Canada decided to legalise cannabis, although it was already possible to consume medical cannabis since 2001. Now with the new law, recreational use is also possible. Anyone over the age of 18 can possess and share up to 30 grams of cannabis in public places with other persons of legal age. Cultivation of up to 4 plants at home (for personal use) is also allowed. Sale is allowed in state-licensed shops to both Canadians and tourists.
United States
Crossing the border, we find the peculiar case of the United States. At the Federal level cannabis is still illegal. However, it is allowed for medical use. More than half of the states also allow recreational use: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington and Washington DC.
South Africa
South Africa joins this list, where possession, consumption and cultivation of cannabis is legal at the private level. Public use and sale to third parties remains illegal.
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