Is Marijuana Legal in Algeria?

The recreational use of cannabis is illegal in Algeria, but the government allows exceptions for medical reasons. With that said, although it is possible to get a prescription for cannabinoid-based drugs in Algeria, accessing it through legal channels is extremely difficult as the regulatory framework for sale and distribution has not been developed as of yet.

Algeria strictly forbids unauthorized marijuana use, cultivation, commerce, and possession. At the same time, its laws allow cannabinoid-based drug development and medical cannabis use, subject to prior approval by the Minister of Health.

Although the government does not permit personal cannabis use, the country is no stranger to the plant. Algeria sits at the border of Morocco, one of the largest hashish distributors, making it one of the most prominent African drug trafficking nations. Cannabis is easily accessible at a local level, and prices are low.

Medical Marijuana Laws in Algeria

Unlike regions in the United States, Canada, and Europe, Algeria doesn’t have a comprehensive medical cannabis program. At the same time, Algeria is much more progressive than most African nations. Its No. 04-18 13 Dhou El Kaada 1425 legislation in 2004 authorized cultivation and research for medical and scientific purposes. And provisions in the No. 07-228 Decree in 2007 decriminalized therapeutic cannabis use, subject to Ministry of Health approval.

In 2020, the Algerian Prime Minister instituted a decree specifying rules for cannabinoid drug development and patient prescriptions.

Outpatient prescriptions

• The law deemed that outpatient prescriptions should not exceed three months.
• It also required physicians to write a special prescription in three copies of different colors, keeping records for at least two years.

Inpatient prescriptions

• For hospitalized patients, the law required psychiatrists to submit new prescriptions weekly for a maximum period of one month.
• Prescribing physicians must keep records for five years.
• Only hospital pharmacies can dispense these prescriptions.

To receive a cannabis prescription, patients must suffer from a severe disease and have no access to an equivalent treatment option.

What to Know About About Medical Cannabis in Algeria

The Algerian Ministry of Health can authorize marijuana for medicinal use or scientific research. However, it is not common practice, and the scope is limited. Also, Algerian law makes no distinction between THC and CBD, marijuana’s main non-intoxicating compound. So prospective CBD patients must meet the same stringent prescription standards.

Algeria Cannabis History

Algeria’s strict laws seem to fly in the face of its rich cannabis use history. Like many North African countries, hashish is deeply rooted in Algeria’s heritage. Small-scale cannabis cultivation was commonplace for centuries, with harvests primarily used for recreational purposes. Algerian retailers openly sold hashish and weed in open-air markets, and hookah bars served the plant mixed with flavored tobacco.

It wasn’t until the mid-20th century that marijuana’s legal status changed in the country. French colonization led to decrees in 1916 and 1917 prohibiting consumption altogether. Although Algeria gained independence from France in the 1960s, its stance toward cannabis remained the same, regarding it as a dangerous substance.

Current Political Landscape

Large-scale cannabis cultivation in Algeria is relatively low today. But the country’s criminal networks have long-standing connections with Morocco’s illicit hashish trade. The 6,700-kilometer border is hard for authorities to patrol, making it relatively easy for traffickers to enter Algeria and pass through to Europe and other African countries.

The large-scale trafficking is a source of tension between Algeria and Morocco, resulting in poor political relations between the two countries. Several leaders in Algeria have openly spoken out against Morocco’s open drug trade:

• Ahmed Ouyahia, Alergia’s former prime minister, claimed that Morocco was “trying to drown Algeria with hashish and cocaine.”

• Mohammed Safahi, vice-president of the Communal Council in Tlemcen, a city in northern Algeria near the Moroccan border, told Morocco’s king to “stop flooding the Arab and Muslim nation with tonnes of hash.”

Algeria Cannabis Enforcement

Offenders caught with marijuana in Algeria can face harsh penalties per the 2004 law:

• Personal use or possession can warrant two months to two years imprisonment and a fine of 5,000 DA to 50,000 DA.
• Selling marijuana to others for personal use is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and 500,000 DA.
• Hospitality professionals caught selling marijuana can face even steeper penalties, up to 15 years and 1,000,000 DA.
• Manufacturers, shippers, and narcotics dealers face 10 to 20 years or up to life in prison if they’re part of an organized gang.

Fortunately, Algerian narcotics officers differ from other North African nations in that they focus on prevention rather than punishment. Algeria generally recommends treatment before penal sentences.

Can You Grow Cannabis in Algeria?

It is illegal to cultivate cannabis in Algeria except for particular medical and research purposes. Still, city people reportedly grow cannabis plants for personal use in gardens or on balconies.

Penalizing home growers is not a priority for law enforcement. However, police will destroy small-scale operations. In fact, they regularly seize cannabis from farms in mountainous areas with cooler climates and more significant rainfall, such as close to the Moroccan border or in southern Algeria.

The Bottom Line

Cannabis consumption, possession, cultivation, and sale are illegal in Algeria except for limited medical purposes. Offenders could face two years in prison for simple use and possession. Despite the regulations, Algeria is one of the biggest drug trafficking nations in Africa, and citizens have no issue accessing marijuana or hashish for personal use.