Is Marijuana Legal in Cameroon?

Cannabis use and possession are illegal in Cameroon, including producing, selling, and possessing medicinal marijuana products. The law in Cameroon is strict against drug abuse, and law enforcement includes Cannabis sativa in its list of high-risk drugs.

Despite Cameroon’s drug policy and marijuana laws, the cannabis plant grows well in the country and is easy to access. Cannabis use is common in Cameroon, and local officials have attempted to legalize the plant for medical purposes.

Medical Marijuana Laws in Cameroon

Medical marijuana is currently illegal to use, buy, or sell in Cameroon despite legislative attempts to legalize it in the early 2000s:

• In 2001, the BBC reported that Cameroon would legalize medicinal use and import its supply from Canada.
• A 2003 United Nations press release noted that Cameroon’s government had registered an official request for medicinal cannabis production and export.

In 2019, leaked documents revealed a more recent attempt at producing medical marijuana in Cameroon, which resulted in financial fraud. According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and NBC News, the government hired locals to carve dirt roads through the rainforest, where foreign investors promised to create jobs for cultivators. However, despite more than $300,000 wired from an investor in Equatorial Guinea, nothing came of the project, and it’s unclear where the money went.

What to Know About About Medical Cannabis in Cameroon

Selling and supplying cannabis for medical or recreational use is illegal in Cameroon. Despite being illegal, cannabis is prevalent in the country, and locals refer to the plant as “banga.”

The country’s Anti-Drug National Committee released statistics in 2018 showing significant recreational use:

• 21% of the Cameroon population had “tried a hard drug,” with 10% regularly using one.
• Cannabis was the most widely used drug, accounting for almost 60% of the demand.

Africa and other West African countries also have a long history of use for therapeutic purposes. For example, Cameroonians reportedly crushed cannabis leaves and applied them to the abdomen to relieve labor pains.

Cannabis Penalties in Cameroon

The Cameroon Penal Code does not specifically and directly mention cannabis. However, with the introduction of Law No. 97/19 of 7 August 1997, Cameroon began regulating narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursors. The law also deals with extradition and judicial assistance in drug trafficking.

Law No. 97/19 classifies cannabis and cannabis resin as “high-risk drugs” and punishes cultivation, marketing, possession, and use. Sections 91-95 state the following punishments for activities related to high-risk drugs, including cannabis:

10 to 20 years imprisonment and/or a fine of CFAF 250,000 to 1,250,000 for: 

• Cultivation, production, manufacturing, extraction, preparation, or processing
• Exportation, importation, and international trafficking
• Supply, marketing, distribution, brokerage, sale, transportation, purchase, keeping, or using

5 to 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of CFAF 100,000 to 5,000,000 for:

• Aiding another person to use illegally, either by procuring an accommodation space for that purpose or by any other means
• Tolerating use in institutions or their outbuildings opened to or used by the public
• Adding to food or drinks unknown to the consumer

2 to 5 years imprisonment and/or a fine of CFAF 50,000 to 250,000:

• Offering or transferring to a person for personal use

Additionally, local laws do not differentiate cannabidiol (CBD) from cannabis, making CBD also illegal to use, buy, and sell.

Cannabis History in West Africa

Cameroon today prohibits marijuana use, sales, and cultivation. However, this was not always the case.

According to a report on the impact of recreational and medical cannabis in Africa:

• Cannabis was legal until the late 1800s when colonial governments reduced production to increase other crops and strengthen their mission of “civilizing” natives.
• In the early 20th century, medicinal use began to fall out of favor as Western medicine focused on isolated chemicals.

• In 1925, the Geneva Convention on Opium and Other Drugs outlawed cannabis in many colonies.
• In 1961, Schedule I and IV of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs restricted cannabis to medical and scientific use.

Despite the prohibition, the highest levels of cannabis production today occur in Africa. Anti-cannabis policies have only led to prison overcrowding, accelerated environmental damage, and regional instability.

Some African countries have started to change their anti-marijuana policies as a result:

• South Africa, Seychelles, and Ghana have decriminalized personal use; Egypt and Mozambique have explored similar legislation.
• Eleven countries have existing or pending provisions for medicinal cannabis. South Africa and Seychelles specifically have regulations for patients to access medical marijuana.
• Other countries have made provisions geared toward creating export markets and economic diversification, which Cameroon recently attempted.

Can You Grow Cannabis in Cameroon?

Despite having a suitable climate for industrial hemp cultivation, it is illegal to cultivate any form of cannabis or hemp plant in Cameroon.

However, like many other West African countries, marijuana cultivation is relatively commonplace in Cameroon. The climate provides the ideal environment for cannabis plants to thrive, with high plateaus and semi-arid regions well-suited to specific strains.

Cannabis also has a high market value, motivating farmers to grow it. In northern Cameroon, some rural farmers derive most of their income from cannabis.

The Bottom Line

All forms of cannabis use and possession, including medical marijuana and CBD, are illegal in Cameroon. The country has made several attempts to legalize cannabis cultivation for medical use, showing it is open to changing its laws.

Still, nothing has been implemented for marijuana legalization or decriminalization so far. Cameroon has an ideal climate for growing cannabis, and marijuana use is commonplace throughout the country, despite being illegal.