Hunter's blog: In which countries is cannabis legal? Explained worldwide

4 min read

Cannabis is regulated very differently around the world. Some countries have full legalization, others tolerate or decriminalize and others have severe penalties. The Netherlands is exactly in between with the well-known tolerance policy.

In which countries is cannabis legal?

Cannabis is anything but the same around the world. Where in one country you can get a joint in a shop, in another country you can get serious problems for exactly the same thing. The Netherlands often seems chill, but if you look closely, we are actually in a kind of in-between phase. Time to check how it really is.

What exactly does cannabis legalization mean?

When cannabis is legal, it means that you can buy, possess and use it without being punishable. Often it is also regulated by the government, with rules about how much you can have and where you can buy it. This differs per country, but the most important thing is that it is no longer illegal.

In addition to full legalization, you also have decriminalization. This means that it is still officially prohibited, but that small quantities for personal use are not severely punished. The Netherlands actually falls into a separate category with the tolerance policy. It is not allowed, but it is allowed under certain rules.

Fully legal countries

There are a number of countries that have fully legalized cannabis. Canada is the best-known example here. There you can just go to a store, just like with alcohol, and everything is neatly arranged.

Uruguay was the first country in the world to do so and is still leading the way in South America.

In Europe, Malta is one of the first countries to implement full legalization, although it is regulated on a smaller scale there.

In the United States, it’s a little more complicated. Some states like California and Colorado have made everything legal, while it is still banned at the country level. This sometimes leads to crazy situations, but in practice you can legally buy there within those states.

Decriminalized countries

Then there are countries where cannabis is not completely legal, but where small amounts are allowed.

Portugal is a well-known example of this. If you have a small amount with you, you will not be prosecuted but rather you will receive guidance or a fine.

Spain works with cannabis clubs where you can use as a member within a closed environment.

Belgium allows a small amount for personal use, and in countries such as Italy and the Czech Republic, the rules are often a bit more lenient than you might expect.

The idea behind this is that tackling small users makes little sense and that the focus would be better on larger crime.

Strict countries

There are also countries where cannabis is definitely not a good idea.

In countries such as Singapore, Japan and the United Arab Emirates, the rules are extremely strict. Even a small amount can lead to severe penalties such as hefty fines or imprisonment.

There is no room for tolerance or experimentation here. The rules are clear and strictly enforced.

This shows how big the difference is worldwide. What feels normal in the Netherlands can be totally unacceptable elsewhere.

Why is the Netherlands lagging behind?

And then the Netherlands, because here it is actually a bit crooked. We were one of the first countries with coffee shops and a tolerance policy, so everyone thought we were leading the way. But in the meantime, other countries have caught up with us with real legalization.

The system here is simply half finished. You can buy weed in a coffee shop, but the production and supply are still officially illegal. This is also called the backdoor problem. Front door is arranged, back door is not.

Politics plays a major role here. Decisions take a long time, there are many opinions and before anything really changes, it takes years. It sometimes feels like the Netherlands was the first at the party, but now the only one is on the bench while the rest continue to party.

Tourists and the Dutch situation

For tourists, the Netherlands remains a kind of Valhalla. In cities like Amsterdam, you can buy and use weed in coffeeshops. That attracts millions of visitors every year.

But it remains a strange contrast. People come here to do something that is forbidden in their own country, while it is not technically completely legal here either.

So the Netherlands is constantly balancing between freedom and rules, without really making a clear choice.

Why do cannabis laws differ so much?

The reason cannabis laws vary so much from country to country has to do with culture, politics, and history.

Some countries see cannabis as a low-risk soft drug, while others see it as a serious problem.

International treaties and political pressure also play a role. Countries do not always want to move first, while others consciously choose to lead the way.

This ensures that the world map of cannabis law remains a mix of everything mixed together.

Fun fact

In some European countries, there are CBD shops where you can buy legal cannabis products without THC, while normal weed is still prohibited there. So you walk into a store with weed products, but they shouldn’t get you high. Quite strange when you think about it.

Conclusion

One world, completely different rules.

Cannabis is regulated in completely different ways around the world. From completely legal to heavily banned and everything in between. The Netherlands is in a unique position with the tolerance policy, but in the meantime it is lagging behind countries that have fully regulated it.

It shows that cannabis is not only a plant, but also a political and cultural topic that countries all deal with differently.