20 Countries Where People Buy the Most Marijuana

Recreational cannabis is illegal in Poland. The Eastern European nation has harsh prohibition laws. Violating them can bring steep fines or long jail sentences, according to The Cannigma. Poland established a medical cannabis program in 2017, and cannabis products can be prescribed for various medical conditions. Poland does not have a catalog of illnesses, limits concerning patient age, nor gram amounts prescribed, so many Poles are able to get medical cannabis.

Switzerland legalized cannabis for medical purposes in 2022. It was reclassified from a “prohibited narcotic” to a “controlled substance.” Patients can get medical cannabis through a medical prescription. Before the new legislation, patients had to apply for a license to get cannabis as a medication. The legalization also allows the export of medical cannabis for commercial purposes.

Recreational use of cannabis is illegal in Brazil, but its use is widespread and is easily available. Even so, penalties are severe for using weed in Brazil. If caught, violators can be fined $500 to $1,500 and jailed for up to 15 years for selling, transporting, or trafficking marijuana. Possession and cultivation of cannabis in personal amounts and for private use was depenalized in Brazil in 2006, but judges have authority to decide whether a suspect is a dealer or a consumer. Cannabis-based medications are legal in Brazil for terminally ill patients.

Industry analysts see huge potential in the Brazilian market, the largest in South America, where many cannabis startups have sprung up in recent years. Around 80% of the population self-report to suffer from stress or anxiety, and cannabis is seen as an effective treatment, according to Prohibition Partners.

Asian nations have some of the world’s harshest penalties for recreational use of cannabis, and South Korea is no different. Under its strict policies, trading and consumption of marijuana is illegal. Those who violate this law could face as much as five years in prison, according to Cannabis Place. South Korea even prosecutes its citizens for consuming cannabis in countries where recreational use is legal.

Cannabis was legalized in South Korea in November 2018 for medical purposes, allowing Korean citizens to use medicinal cannabis for extreme cases, such as epilepsy, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease.

The possession or sale of cannabis in Italy is illegal and can be punished by confiscation of illegal documents such as driving license. Selling cannabis can carry a six-year prison sentence.

Since 2016, the cultivation of certain strains of hemp has been legal in Italy, as is medical use of cannabis and the use of CBD products. Cultivating a personal stash of medical marijuana in Italy is illegal. A survey found that 78% of Italians believe cannabis should be expanded for medical use.