In the Czech Republic, cannabis is not legal for recreational use, but personal possession has been decriminalized since 1 January 2010 and medical cannabis has been legal since 1 April 2013. [1] [2]
Possession of more than 15 grams (½ oz) of dry cannabis for personal use, [3] [4] or cultivation of more than five plants, is classed as a civil offence. However since 1 January 2010, [5] [6] [7] [8] possession of less than 15g (½ oz) and less than 5 plants is an infraction. On conviction, a fine of up to 15,000CZK can be imposed, but fines are typically much lower. [5] Cannabis is easy to obtain at concerts and in bars.[ citation needed ] However, cannabis remains illegal, and possession of larger amounts can lead to a jail sentence of one year. [5] Trafficking is a criminal offence, with the minimum penalty set at two years imprisonment and maximum penalty set at 18 years imprisonment, though sentences of 10–18 years are only imposed in extreme cases. A suspended sentence or other alternative punishment is usually imposed in the case of minor trafficking that does not generate a significant income.
A bill allowing cannabis to be legally available on prescription in pharmacies as a medicine was passed by the Czech Chamber of Deputies on 7 December 2012, [9] with 126 votes for legalisation and 7 against (27 abstained and 46 were absent from the vote). [10] The Czech Senate passed the bill on 30 January 2013. From the total of 81 senators 67 voted for legalisation and 2 voted against (5 senators abstained and 7 were absent from the vote). [11] The bill also stipulated that only imported cannabis would be allowed for sale in the first year "to ensure standards." After that, sales may expand to include registered, domestic production that is strictly monitored. [12]
The law came into effect on 1 April 2013 and since then medical use of cannabis has been legal and regulated in the Czech Republic. [13] The law allows for 180 g (6 oz) of dry matter per month, as prescribed by specialized physicians, and can be obtained using an electronic prescription form. [14]
The prime minister of the Czech Republic is the head of the government of the Czech Republic and the de facto leader and most powerful member of the executive branch.
Drug liberalization is a drug policy process of decriminalizing, legalizing, or repealing laws that prohibit the production, possession, sale, or use of prohibited drugs. Variations of drug liberalization include drug legalization, drug relegalization, and drug decriminalization. Proponents of drug liberalization may favor a regulatory regime for the production, marketing, and distribution of some or all currently illegal drugs in a manner analogous to that for alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.
The Czech Statistical Office is a central state administration authority of the Czech Republic. It is an office independent of the country's government, whose main tasks are the collection, processing and dissemination of statistical data and the organization of elections in the Czech Republic and the population census.
In the early 21st century, advocacy for drug legalization has increased in Latin America. Spearheading the movement, the Uruguayan government announced in 2012 plans to legalize state-controlled sales of marijuana in order to fight drug-related crimes.
The legal history of cannabis in the United States began with state-level prohibition in the early 20th century, with the first major federal limitations occurring in 1937. Starting with Oregon in 1973, individual states began to liberalize cannabis laws through decriminalization. In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis, sparking a trend that spread to a majority of states by 2016. In 2012, Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize cannabis for recreational use.
Cannabis in Wisconsin is illegal for recreational use. Possession of any amount is punishable by up to 6 months in prison and a $1000 fine for a first offense. A second offense is punished as a felony with up to 3.5 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. At the local level, however, numerous municipalities and counties have decriminalized cannabis or lessened penalties for minor possession offenses. Medical use is legal only in the form of low-THC cannabis oil.
Cannabis in Kansas is fully illegal, and possession of even small amounts is a misdemeanor crime. Cannabis is only legal in Kansas in the form of THC free cannabidiol oil, also known as CBD.
Cannabis in Alaska is legal for recreational use since 2014. It was first legalized by the court ruling Ravin v. State in 1975, but later recriminalized by Measure 2 in 1990. Ballot measures in 2000 and 2004 attempted to legalize recreational use, until finally Measure 2 in 2014 passed with 53.2% of the vote. Medical use was legalized by way of Measure 8 in 1998.
Cannabis in Missouri is legal for recreational use. A ballot initiative to legalize recreational use, Amendment 3, passed by a 53–47 margin on November 8, 2022. Possession for adults 21 and over became legal on December 8, 2022, with the first licensed sales occurring on February 3, 2023.
Cannabis in Mississippi is legal for medical use and illegal for non-medical use. Possession of small amounts was decriminalized in 1978.
Cannabis in Maryland is legal for medical use and recreational use. Possession of up to 1.5 ounces and cultivation of up to 2 plants is legal for adults 21 years of age and older. In 2013, a state law was enacted to establish a state-regulated medical cannabis program. The program, known as the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) became operational on December 1, 2017.
Cannabis in Ohio is legal for recreational use. Issue 2, a ballot measure to legalize recreational use, passed by a 57–43 margin on November 7, 2023. Possession and personal cultivation of cannabis became legal on December 7, 2023. The first licensed sales started on August 6, 2024. Prior to legalization, Ohio decriminalized possession of up 100 grams in 1975, with several of the state's major cities later enacting further reforms.
In Washington, D.C., cannabis is legal for both medical use and recreational use for possession, personal use, cultivation, transportation and gifting, and for retail sale once a regulatory system is implemented following an affirmative vote by the residents on a 2014 ballot initiative. The United States Congress exercises oversight over the government of the District of Columbia, preventing the local government from regulating cannabis sales like other jurisdictions with authority derived from a U.S. state.
Cannabis and hemp in Spain have a long and rich history. The plant has grown feral on the Iberian peninsula since prehistory and has been intensely cultivated, in particular for its fibres, throughout Spanish and Portuguese history.
Cannabis in Argentina is regulated by the Penal Code of Argentina, which prohibits its possession, cultivation, and supply, except for authorized medical purposes. Official statistics estimate that cannabis is used by 7.8% of Argentina's population.
Cannabis in Croatia is decriminalized for personal use and legalized for limited medical uses.
The list includes and details significant events that occurred in the global history of national-level implementations of, or changes made to, laws surrounding the use, sale, or production of the psychoactive drug cannabis.
The manufacture, possession, and consumption of cannabis in Trinidad and Tobago is decriminalized.
The Cannabis Act (C-45) of June, 2018 paved the way for the legalization of cannabis in Canada on 17 October 2018. Police and prosecution services in all Canadian jurisdictions are currently capable of pursuing criminal charges for cannabis marketing without a licence issued by Health Canada. The Supreme Court of Canada has held that the federal Parliament has the power to criminalize the possession of cannabis and that doing so does not infringe upon the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Ontario Court of Appeal and the Superior Court of Ontario have, however, held that the absence of a statutory provision for medical marijuana is unconstitutional, and to that extent the federal law is of no force and/or effect if a prescription is obtained. The recreational use of cannabis has been legalized by the federal government, and took effect on 17 October 2018.
Robert Veverka is a Czech municipal politician and activist. He is a representative of district Prague 2, a member of the Prague 2 Safety Commission, and a cannabis legalization activist. Since 2010, he has been editor-in-chief of the magazine Legalizace. He has been repeartedly elected to the Prague 2 council as an independent candidate with the support of the Czech Pirate Party.
If you have more than 15 grams of cannabis or are growing more than five plants, the maximum penalty is a custodial sentence of one year. However, simple possession charges rarely receive the maximum charge.
the new penal code criminalises the cultivation or possession of an illicit drug for personal use when the quantity is 'greater than small'. However, the new code now establishes quantity limits via a binding governmental decree (No 467/2009 Coll.) (2). For example, it stipulates that a crime is committed on possession of more than 5g of cannabis resin (previously 10g), 15g of herbal cannabis or 1g of cocaine, and on cultivation of more than five marijuana plants.
