Is Marijuana Legal in Pakistan?

In Pakistan, it is illegal to possess or sell cannabis, and violators face severe penalties if caught, despite the country’s millennia-long use of bhang and hashish.

A landmark decision in 2020 legalized industrial hemp production, charging the Pakistani government with creating a legal framework to allow for the cultivation and sale of cannabis that meets the 0.3% THC per dry weight definition of hemp. In the years following, however, the law has been held up by regulatory delays and considerably slowed the creation of a cannabis market in Pakistan.

Medical Marijuana Laws in Pakistan

Pakistan has a long history of cannabis use that it shares with India, from whom the country formally separated at the end of WWII. Marijuana is widely consumed in both smokeable form, charas, and as liquid bhang. In the 1980s, Pakistan established strict government control surrounding drug use, including recreational marijuana, largely due to pressures from the United States’ War on Drugs. Regulators remained tough in their stance against cannabis until changes were made in the last few years.

In 2020, then-Prime Minister Imran Khan signed landmark legislation to legalize industrial hemp and set up a national cannabis policy to enable the country to join the growing global industry. The aim was to situate Pakistan as a major export of industrial hemp to create medicinal cannabis oils and hemp textiles.

In the first few years following the law’s passage, the government permitted four cultivation sites to acquire cannabis seeds that met legal levels of THC, with less than 0.3% per dry weight. Experimentation has already started, and while the country is still a long way from legalizing cannabis for medical use, research could help open the door for future cannabis laws to emerge.

In 2022, however, governmental regime changes have resulted in regulatory hurdles to finalizing the framework that would allow for a national hemp industry. Prime Minister Shebhaz Sharif’s government, which succeeded Khan’s, has requested that more ministries be involved in the law’s policy-making, which has delayed adoption. Appeals are underway, but the regulations’ current legal definitions of cannabis, hemp, and CBD will likely continue to slow Pakistan’s legalization process.

Industrial hemp is currently legal for use only by government-sanctioned institutions and cultivation sites, as there are presently no laws concerning personal use. Until this changes, medical marijuana and recreational cannabis are illegal in Pakistan.

What to Know About About Medical Cannabis in Pakistan

Cannabis Is Widely Used in Pakistan but Still Illegal

Cannabis is one of Pakistan’s most widely used substances, with a 2013 report claiming that 6.4 million of the country’s residents — nearly 6% of the population — consume the plant. Despite its widespread proliferation, it is illegal to use, produce, extract, possess, or sell medical marijuana. Violation of these laws is punishable by a prison sentence of up to seven years and may include a sizable fine. In most cases of personal use and possession, however, law enforcement is more lax than when it comes to more serious drugs.

Pakistan Has Legalized Hemp, but No Regulatory Framework Exists Yet

The Pakistani government approved plans to legalize the industrial hemp industry in September 2020 but has yet to put forth a regulatory framework enabling production and export that could exist with current anti-narcotics laws.

In the meantime, cultivation centers licensed by the Pakistani government have extracted CBD from approved hemp crops. They are currently exploring how to create CBD oil products for medicinal use.

CBD Isn’t Legal Yet

Until such a time as Pakistan establishes regulations governing its cannabis industry, CBD and CBD products remain illegal. However, the country expects a booming CBD industry to emerge once the system is enacted. Currently, CBD products that contain less than 0.3% THC and come from hemp plants will be allowed.

Can You Grow Cannabis In Pakistan?

Cannabis cultivation is illegal in Pakistan, and those who violate the law face severe punishments. Per the Control of Narcotic Substances Act of 1997, those who cultivate cannabis for personal use will face a prison sentence of up to seven years, sometimes with a hefty fine.

The Bottom Line

Pakistan is on the path towards a legal industrial hemp industry but currently faces regulatory delays with conflicting government committees infighting. While the country waits, cannabis for medical purposes or recreational use remains illegal.