Is Marijuana Legal in Venezuela?

All forms of marijuana use, including recreational marijuana and medical cannabis, are illegal in Venezuela. The country does not allow the cultivation, production, trade, import, export, dispensing, sale, or acquisition of cannabis or other drugs.

Venezuela signed the International Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 treaty, describing a “drug” as any substance that can alter the nervous system. Marijuana has remained illegal ever since.

However, Venezuela has relaxed its punitive policies for personal use. In 2010, Venezuela passed the Organic Law of Drugs, defining penalties for marijuana trafficking, sales, and cultivation, while eliminating mandatory jail time for people who can prove possession for recreational or personal medicinal use.

Medical Marijuana Laws in Venezuela

Latin American nations like Chile, Colombia, and Mexico have started to decriminalize cannabis possession and legalize the plant for medicinal purposes.

However, Venezuela has taken no action toward legalizing medical cannabis. Weed remains strictly illegal in the country.

Currently, no proposed law would allow for legal medical marijuana use in Venezuela or change its legal status in the near future.

What to Know About About Medical Cannabis in Venezuela

Cultivating, selling, and possessing cannabis are all illegal in Venezuela. According to the law:

• Recreational and medical cannabis, including all derivatives, such as hemp-derived CBD, delta-8 THC, and delta-10 THC, are illegal.
• Cultivating industrial hemp is also illegal in Venezuela.
• Some resources indicate consuming hemp oil is legal.

Venezuela Decriminalization vs. Marijuana Legalization

Venezuela’s Organic Law of Drugs effectively decriminalized possessing small amounts of cannabis for personal consumption or medicinal use.

The law says people who possess up to 20 grams of marijuana or 5 grams of “genetically modified marijuana” for personal use will not face jail time.

Instead, violators may need to participate in a drug treatment program for rehabilitation and detoxification. The judge may also order suspending the offender’s driver’s license.

The law applies the following steps for marijuana possession cases:

• Admission to a rehabilitation center or specialized therapy
• Cure or detoxification
• Social reintegration of the subject involving community service and trade or art education.
• Parole and monitoring upon release

Venezuela Cannabis Penalties

An individual in Venezuela caught with more than 20 grams of marijuana, 5 grams of genetically modified marijuana, or any marijuana deemed not for medical use or personal consumption will face the following drug penalties:

• Prison time of one to two years, at a judge’s discretion
• Foreign violators can be deported
• Drug traffickers receive lengthy prison sentences, usually eight to 10 years

Venezuela vs. Other Countries in South America

Venezuela’s drug laws are relatively conservative compared to other South American nations. The country adheres to many bans proposed in international conventions over five decades ago and hasn’t made modifications in recent years.

Fortunately, many countries in South America don’t share this strict stance, especially against medical marijuana.

Over the past decade, many countries on the continent have set up legal, regulated medical cannabis programs or lessened the legal penalties for marijuana possession, use, and cultivation:

• In 2013, Uruguay made international news when it became the first to legalize recreational cannabis fully. People in the country can find the product in pharmacies and buy up to 40 grams monthly.

• In 2015, Colombia legalized medical cannabis. The country also decriminalized the possession and cultivation of marijuana for personal use.

• In the region, other countries that permit the medicinal use of cannabis include Brazil, Panama, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru.

• As of January 2023, Uruguay, Jamaica, and Mexico are the only countries in Latin America that permit adult recreational use.

Venezuela Drug Trafficking

Venezuela’s porous western border with Colombia makes it a preferred trafficking route for illegal drugs. It remains a major drug-transit country for cocaine from South America to the Caribbean, Central America, the United States, Western Africa, and Europe.

The United States has been concerned about Venezuelan narcotics trafficking since 2005 and its lack of cooperation in combating terrorism since 2006.

In 2015, the United States determined that Venezuela had failed to adhere to obligations under international counternarcotics agreements. And for almost a decade, the U.S. has issued sanctions against Venezuela for human rights abuses and political corruption.

Venezuela’s weak judicial system, sporadic international counternarcotics cooperation, and corrupt environment make it easy for illicit drugs to travel. The most commonly consumed illegal drugs in Venezuela are marijuana, “crack” cocaine, and “basuco” (cocaine paste).

Can You Grow Cannabis in Venezuela?

No, you cannot grow cannabis in Venezuela. Hemp farming is also unlawful in Venezuela.

People caught growing marijuana for trafficking purposes can face prison for up to 18 years, depending on the quantity.

However, Venezuela does make an exception. The country’s Ministerio del Poder Popular grants limited licenses to growers cultivating psychoactive plants for scientific research.

The Bottom Line

Unlike many of its neighboring countries in South America and Latin America, Venezuela does not permit marijuana use and has no plans to allow medical marijuana.

The government did decriminalize less than 20 grams of marijuana or 5 grams of genetically modified marijuana intended for personal or medical purposes, instead requiring offenders to attend drug treatment.

However, those caught with marijuana might still face jail time depending on the circumstances and the judge.