Although many countries around the world are changing their strict marijuana laws, consumption and possession of marijuana is still illegal in most countries around the world. This is because of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, which was an international treaty to prohibit the production and supply of narcotic drugs, except under license.

Drug laws and enforcement varies enormously all over the world, however, several countries around the globe have very liberal drug policies. In a handful of countries, marijuana is fully legal.

Countries where marijuana is legal

Uruguay: Uruguay is the first country in the world to fully legalize the possession, selling, transportation and cultivation of marijuana. However, legal buyers in Uruguay must be 18 years or older and the market is regulated. In addition to retail sales, Uruguay’s citizens (and legal residents) will be permitted to cultivate up to six marijuana plants per household.

Netherlands: Marijuana is legal in the Netherlands, up to 5 grams. It is decriminalized for public use and sold openly in “coffee-shops” in Amsterdam and other Dutch cities.

USA: Although marijuana is still illegal at federal level, it is legal in 23 US states for medical use and legal in 4 states for recreational use.

Spain: Consumption by adults privately is legal. Cultivating your own marijuana plants for personal consumption is legal, but these plants must be kept out of public places, out of the public eye. Selling and trading cannabis is still illegal.

Columbia: Marijuana is legal to possess, up to 22 grams. A maximum of 20 plants may be cultivated for personal consumption.

Germany: In Germany marijuana is legal if permission is granted by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. The laws are rather confusing, for example in the city of Berlin, people are allowed to carry 15 grams of cannabis, but in other states, the limit is between 6 to 10 grams.

As time goes on, doubtless many more countries will decriminalize cannabis, or at least relax their laws eventually. There are quite a few countries where cannabis is technically illegal, but where law enforcement is fairly tolerant when it comes to possession and consumption, especially for medical use.

Countries open to the possibility of legalization include Equador, Jamaica, Argentina and India. Argentina looks primed to reclassify marijuana as a legal substance in the not-too-distant future. In India, marijuana has been widely used for thousands of years and, not surprisingly, Indians are open to the possibility of legalization. In South Africa, the illegality of marijuana is an issue that will soon to be brought to the Constitutional Court in that land.

Sources:

Wikipedia.org

Cheatsheet.com

CNN.com