DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED AS LEGAL ADVICE. CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS FOR COMPREHENSIVE GUIDANCE.
The legalization of cannabis is incredibly complicated, to say the least. As the green beast is slowly pushing its way into the spotlight we’re seeing more open conversations about the numerous benefits of cannabis, and not only for medicinal reasons.
Thanks to all this talk many countries are slowly lifting their archaic policies, but with so many different restrictions around the world and even in the US alone, it’s hard to know exactly where cannabis is legal in 2022. Well you’ve come to the right place for answers, this comprehensive guide will solve all your worldly woes and inform you, most highly, on the green light zones for medicinal use, recreational use, possession, distribution, and commercial sale in 2022.
Countries Where Recreational Cannabis Use is Legal
While personal use is legal in these places, there are still restrictions. These include the number of plants you can legally cultivate, the amount you can possess for personal use, the minimum age, and sometimes even the location you consume your herb.
- Australia (Australian Capital Territory only)
- Canada
- Georgia
- Malta
- South Africa
- United States (in 19 states only)
- Uruguay
US States Where Recreational Cannabis Use is Legal
Strange one this. In the US, you can legally use cannabis recreationally at the state level, but it’s illegal at the federal level. So technically you can still be prosecuted for sparking up your sneaky stash in a state where cannabis use is legal. However the reality is that federal prosecutions of low-level marijuana offenses are extremely rare. They’ve just got bigger fish to fry. Here is a list of the states where cannabis is legal in the US, as well as a few territories.
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Illinois
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oregon
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Guam
- Northern Mariana Islands
Countries Where Recreational Cannabis Use is Decriminalized
Decriminalization means you won’t be arrested, serve prison time, or get a criminal record for the first-time possession of a small amount of cannabis for personal use. The amount ranges from 3—50g (0.1—1.75oz) of dry herb, depending on your country.
- Australia (Northern Territory and South Australia)
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Austria
- Barbados (Registered Rastafarians only)
- Belgium
- Belize
- Bermuda
- Bolivia
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Dominica
- Ecuador
- Estonia
- India (as Bhang only)
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Luxembourg
- Moldova
- Nepal (allowed during Maha Shivaratri)
- Netherlands (legal in coffee shops, decriminalized elsewhere)
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland (THC less than 0.2% is legal)
- Portugal
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and Grenadines
- Slovenia
- Spain (in private areas only)
- Switzerland
- Trinidad/Tobago
- United States (select states only)
Countries Where Medical Cannabis Use is Legal
Many governments are a lot more willing to support the use of cannabis for medical conditions than recreational use. This means physicians can prescribe medicinal cannabis (or sometimes just its derivatives) for a range of symptoms, including nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy, loss of appetite in HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, muscle spasms, and severe epilepsy.
However, restrictions still apply, depending on the medical condition. For instance, in some places, medicinal cannabis is legal to treat the symptoms of Crohn’s disease and PTSD, while other rulemakers say these conditions don’t qualify.
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Bermuda
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Lebanon
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malawi
- Malta
- Mexico
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Rwanda
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- Uruguay
- United Kingdom
- United States (36 States only)
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
US States Where Medical Cannabis Use is Legal
Again, each individual US state has different rules about which medical conditions qualify for medicinal cannabis on prescription as well as the types of cannabis medication you can receive.
Across the board, all states where medicinal cannabis is legal support it to treat symptoms of cancer, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. The hottest areas of contention are Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and autism.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Utah
- West Virginia
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Islands
Countries Where Recreational and Medical Cannabis Use is Illegal
Many countries are still to address the issue of cannabis legalization, decriminalization, and even medicinal use. Even in 2022, while some are inching towards the prospect, others are turning a blind eye to the issue altogether.
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- People’s Republic of China
- Comoros
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Republic of The Congo
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- East Timor
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini (Swaziland)
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ivory Coast
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Macau
- Madagascar
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Qatar
- Russia
- Samoa
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Slovakia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- United States (at a federal level)
- Uzbekistan
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen
Final Thoughts
We hope this gives you an overview of the state of cannabis legalization around the world in 2022. Before you consume any cannabis or cannabis-derivative, we strongly recommend you check out the regulations specific to your region.
If you’re in Canada like us, you can check out this detailed government guidance on the rules and limitations for personal use. And remember that each Canadian province and territory also has its own laws... We did warn you—cannabis legalization is a seriously complicated beast!
