Here at Farma Barn, we are an American company. Therefore, we spend most of our time analyzing United States cannabis laws. If you have read any of our other blogs, you know that US cannabis laws are a complex mess. Cannabis has different regulations and legal statuses depending on the state, products must adhere to conflicting guidelines, and do not even get us started on hemp legality. We often wonder, “are cannabis laws in other countries this complicated?” Today, we are going to find out. Let’s expand our perspective by learning more about worldwide cannabis laws.
Our goal is to give an expansive view of cannabis laws that stretch from our backyard to the other side of the world. First, we break down how different geographical regions legislate cannabis. Then, we examine common trends and outliers. Finally, we will tie everything together and see if the US can learn a thing or two from other countries’ cannabis laws. Without further delay, follow us on our worldwide journey to learn more about cannabis law.
North America
You may be asking, “I thought we weren’t going to talk about US cannabis law?” Believe it or not, there are other countries in North America besides the United States. These northern and southern neighbors, Canada and Mexico, are a great place to begin our discussion on international cannabis laws.
In 2018, Canada legalized cannabis nationwide. Anyone over the age of 18 can legally purchase marijuana flower, gummies, vapes, and many other products. Their federal laws are concise and form a solid regulatory structure for the entire nation. Canada may have the most transparent and progressive cannabis laws in the entire world. On the other hand, Mexican cannabis law is much murkier.
The Mexican Supreme Court legalized adult cannabis use in 2021. However, no laws are in place to facilitate the commercial sale or cultivation of cannabis. There are even still laws punishing cannabis users with jail time, despite the legalization.
Interestingly, in North America, the farther north you go, the more progressive cannabis laws become. It is too bad that the US does not have nationwide legal cannabis like Canada, but our laws are far better than Mexico. Perhaps the legal cannabis in Canada will trickle down the continent, all the way to Central and South America.
Central and South America
In Central America, most countries outlaw cannabis growth and use. Only two countries, Belize and Costa Rica, decriminalized cannabis use. There is no country in Central America with legal cannabis. Much like Mexico, Central America was the battleground of the War on Drugs. Therefore, many people have low opinions of cannabis because of the violence it caused. For most Central American countries, it may be a long time before they legalize cannabis.
In South America, the story is slightly different. Medicinal use of cannabis is legal in countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Chile. Also, Uruguay became the first nation to legalize cannabis. People are free to use, grow, and buy cannabis. Uruguay even allows cannabis sales in pharmacies. Many South American countries are following in Uruguay’s footsteps and are gearing up to legalize cannabis. Countries like Colombia and Brazil may soon legalize cannabis nationwide.
All in all, South American cannabis laws seem to be trending upwards, whereas cannabis remains illegal in much of Central America. In South America, countries like Uruguay are leading the charge for a worldwide acceptance of cannabis. In Central America, the wounds of the War on Drugs are still too fresh. Understandably, Central America’s tumultuous relationship with cannabis means it may be a while until cannabis becomes widely legal.
Europe
When people think about Europe and cannabis, one city comes to mind first. Amsterdam. Amsterdam is famous for its “Coffeeshops,” where you can buy a joint instead of a cup of joe. Many tourists who enjoyed Amsterdam cannabis (or those who just heard the stories) may believe that all of Europe has a laissez-faire attitude toward cannabis use. This could not be further from the truth.
There is only one country in Europe with legal cannabis, the island country of Malta. Moreover, no other country in Europe is close to legalizing cannabis. In countries like Britain, France, and Germany, cannabis possession can land you in jail. Even in Holland, the home of Amsterdam, cannabis is not legal nationwide. Legal jurisdiction over “Coffeeshops” fall to individual counties, much like how states control recreational cannabis legalization in the US. Despite the lack of recreational legalization, many European countries have legal medical cannabis. In many countries, you can purchase medicinal marijuana flower or cannabis products with a prescription. You can access an interactive map here if you are interested in country by country legality.
Overall, Europe is a hodgepodge of cannabis laws. In that fashion, it is similar to the United States. If we imagine every European country is like a US state, we find very similar cannabis laws to the US. One country might border another and have completely different cannabis laws regarding recreational and medicinal marijuana. Like the US federal government, the EU feels no need to step in and standardize cannabis law for the European continent. In that regard, Europe may be the United State’s best analog for cannabis law.
Africa
In each of the continents we explored, they all had at least one country with fully legalized cannabis. In Africa, this is not the case. A handful of countries have legal medicinal cannabis, and only South Africa stands out. In South Africa, the commercial sale of cannabis is illegal. However, citizens can grow individual cannabis plants for personal consumption. Otherwise, cannabis is illegal in most of Africa.
There is a long history of cannabis use in Africa. Evidence shows that the Ancient Egyptians used cannabis almost 5,000 years ago. Furthermore, Africans have cultivated cannabis for at least the last 1,000 years. For almost the entirety of African history, cannabis use was common. However, with the colonization of Africa in the late nineteenth century, the stigma around cannabis changed. The colonists believed it made Africans lazy, so they criminalized cannabis. Considering many African countries only gained their independence in the 60s, many of these draconian ideals remain ingrained in African governments. However, some African countries are beginning to legalize growing cannabis. Hopefully, these cannabis farmers can spur Africa’s return to a cannabis-loving continent.
The African continent has similar cannabis laws to the United States of 50-30 years ago. Possession of tiny amounts of cannabis can land one in jail for extended sentences. However, as some African countries reopen their minds to cannabis, they just might beat the United States to full legalization.
This is part one of a multi-part series on worldwide cannabis laws. Come back in a few days to see the next blog. It will center around Middle Eastern, Asian, and Australian cannabis laws, along with a conclusion to the series.