Is Marijuana Legal in The Caribbean Netherlands?

Medical and recreational marijuana is prohibited throughout the Caribbean Netherlands. However, cannabidiol (CBD) products containing less than 0.2% delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are legal in Aruba.

Medical Marijuana Laws in The Caribbean Netherlands

Formerly known as the Netherlands Antilles, the Caribbean Netherlands consists of the constituent of Curacao, Aruba, and St. Maarten (also known as the CAS islands) and the special municipalities of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba (the BES islands).

The sale, possession, cultivation, and consumption of cannabis is prohibited across the Dutch Caribbean.

Cannabis-derived products are also illegal in the Caribbean Netherlands, except for Aruba, which legalized CBD containing less than 0.2% THC in 2019.

Those violating Dutch Caribbean drug laws can incur severe penalties, including heavy fines and incarceration.

The Caribbean Netherlands is governed by their respective local island authorities and the Dutch government.

Marijuana laws of the Dutch Caribbean islands vary significantly from the lax policies around “soft drugs” in the Netherlands (Amsterdam in particular), where the purchase and consumption of weed in designated coffeeshops is permitted.

In recent years there have been unsuccessful attempts to develop cannabis-friendly drug laws to support soft drug policies similar to the Netherlands.

Nearly every country in the Dutch Caribbean has proposed legislation to decriminalize cannabis, except Bonaire and St. Eustatius.

Aruba is the first nation of the Lesser Antilles to legalize the medical use of cannabidiol (CBD), while Curacao is on the verge of approving the commercial cultivation and exportation of medicinal cannabis.

What to Know About About Medical Cannabis in The Caribbean Netherlands

While cannabis use is prohibited in the Dutch Caribbean, only one island nation has approved CBD for medicinal use.

Aruba’s nascent medical cannabis industry is governed by the Ministry of Public Health, which oversees the commercial cultivation and sale of CBD products containing less than 0.2% THC.

Available to Arubans and tourists alike, CBD can be purchased at pharmacies and supplement shops throughout the island.

Can You Grow Cannabis in The Caribbean Netherlands?

Although the tropical climate and fertile soil are ideally suited for cultivation, it is illegal to grow cannabis anywhere in the Caribbean Netherlands for personal use.

Conversely, the cultivation of industrial hemp for medicinal purposes is legal in Aruba.

The Bottom Line

The possession, sale, distribution, cultivation, and consumption of cannabis is illegal in the Caribbean Netherlands.

The infringement of drug laws can result in severe penalties, including hefty fines and incarceration.

Despite its current legal status, efforts to legalize cannabis are gradually gaining momentum.

Aruba was the first country in the Lesser Antilles to permit the use of CBD for medicinal purposes, and Curacao is one step closer with proposed legislation to legalize medical cannabis.