When we talk about Legality of cannabis we note that every government in the world moves autonomously. We can however distinguish four types of approaches to the question:

• Prohibition: In prohibitionist countries, cannabis is illegal, at least for recreational use. Those who possess, grow and consume the herb risk severe penalties such as prison.
• Decriminalization: In these countries, cannabis is still illegal, but the penalties are significantly reduced or eliminated altogether. Sometimes it is permitted to possess a small amount of cannabis for personal use. In some cases, alternative penalties to prison are provided for those who grow and sell cannabis, such as health or educational treatments.
• Legalization: in countries where cannabis is legalized, recreational use of the herb is permitted. However, the State is very strict and detailed in defining who and how can produce and sell hemp and what taxes are to be applied.
• Liberalization: in this purely theoretical case, since it is not present in any country in the world, anyone can freely sell, buy and consume cannabis without any type of restriction.

That said, what is the situation in Europe and the world? Let's find out together with this article!

Legality of Cannabis in Europe

Let's now take a quick look at the Legality of cannabis in various European countries, with updated data:

• Luxembourg and Malta

These two small countries were the first in Europe to fully legalize cannabis in 2021. This means that anyone aged 18 or over can freely grow cannabis for personal use, or buy it from licensed dealers. Medical cannabis is of course allowed.

• Spain

In Spain, personal cannabis use is decriminalized, but not permitted. However, in some areas of the country there are so-called cannabis clubs, associations whose members can grow and use hemp in an authorized manner. The transportation and sale of hemp are prohibited and medical cannabis is only authorized in some regions. In short, a rather chaotic legislation.

• Portugal

In this country, medical cannabis was authorized in 2018 and all drugs have been decriminalized since 2001. This means that those caught with small amounts of cannabis can face administrative sanctions but not criminal ones.

• Germany

In Germany, medical cannabis has been legal since 2017, while possession of small quantities of weed for personal use is decriminalized up to 6 grams. Cultivation and sale are prohibited.

• France

France is one of the most prohibitionist countries in Europe, with criminal penalties for possessing or trading cannabis and access to medical cannabis only for a select few patients.

• United Kingdom

In the UK, medical cannabis is very rare and expensive, reserved for very few patients, while recreational weed is completely illegal.

• Ireland

In this country, cannabis is considered a class C drug and its possession is punishable by law. Medical cannabis has been authorized since 2019.

• Greece

In Greece, possession of small amounts of weed, up to 5 grams, is decriminalized. Medical cannabis is allowed.

• Finland

Finland is a prohibitionist country and access to medical cannabis has been permitted since 2008 only to patients with serious pathologies.

• Netherlands

Contrary to popular belief, cannabis is not legal in the Netherlands, but is merely decriminalized. Its sale is permitted in so-called coffee shops that have severe restrictions to respect, such as not selling more than 5 grams per day to each customer. 5 grams is precisely the maximum limit that each person can possess in order not to be prosecuted.

As we have seen, in Europe the legality of cannabis varies greatly from country to country. Before setting out on a trip with the intention of consuming cannabis, it is a good idea get informed and pay close attention to local regulations.

Legality of Cannabis in the USA

At the federal level in the United States, cannabis is considered a prohibited drug. However, it is legal to consume at recreational use in as many as 19 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The general trend in recent years seems to be towards greater legalization, with the latest President Joe Biden granting pardons to thousands of those convicted of cannabis possession.

Legality of Cannabis in the World

In the majority of the African, Middle Eastern and Asian states Cannabis is totally prohibited, often even at a medical level. The few countries that have opted for decriminalization are mainly European, but some also stand out Australia and Paraguay.

Among the non-European countries that have legalized cannabis we note some states USA, Uruguay and Canada.

Ultimately, the legality of cannabis in the world is still today a controversial topic. Laws vary widely from country to country, despite the growing evidence of therapeutic benefits of cannabis, its low addictiveness, and its general low toxicity.