Cannabis Freedom Index

Global index · 2026 edition

How free is cannabis,
country by country?

One number from 0 to 100 for every country on Earth, measuring personal cannabis freedom: can you carry it, grow it, share it and use it — and what happens to you if you do. The bar is high: 100 means cannabis is treated like tomatoes. Nobody is close.

196
countries scored
13
world average, out of 100
0
reach the “Free” tier (60+)
6
score 40+: legal to possess and grow, with limits
141
score under 15: prison is a real risk

Did you know?

1 / 21

The best score in the world is only 53 out of 100. Canada leads the index, but its caps on how much you may carry and grow keep it barely past the halfway mark.

🇨🇦 See Canada →

World map

Red means prison risk, green means free. Select a country for its full breakdown.

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Severe prohibition · 0–4Prohibition · 5–14Restrictive · 15–24Tolerant · 25–39Legal with limits · 40–59Free · 60–100No data

Rankings

196 of 196 countries

#CountryRegionRecreationalMedicalIndex
1🇨🇦CanadaNorth AmericaLegalLegal
53
2🇺🇾UruguaySouth AmericaLegalLegal
51
3🇿🇦South AfricaAfricaLegalLimited
49
4🇨🇿CzechiaEuropeLegalLegal
44
5🇩🇪GermanyEuropeLegalLegal
44
6🇲🇹MaltaEuropeLegalLegal
41
7🇨🇴ColombiaSouth AmericaDecriminalisedLegal
39
8🇱🇺LuxembourgEuropeLegalLegal
37
9🇩🇲DominicaNorth AmericaLegalNone
37
10🇳🇱NetherlandsEuropePartly legal / toleratedLegal
37
11🇱🇨Saint LuciaNorth AmericaLegalNone
37
12🇹🇹Trinidad and TobagoNorth AmericaLegalNone
37
13🇦🇬Antigua and BarbudaNorth AmericaLegalLimited
36
14🇯🇲JamaicaNorth AmericaDecriminalisedLegal
35
15🇺🇸United StatesNorth AmericaPartly legal / toleratedLegal
34
16🇰🇳Saint Kitts and NevisNorth AmericaDecriminalisedLimited
33
17🇪🇸SpainEuropePartly legal / toleratedLimited
31
18🇨🇭SwitzerlandEuropeDecriminalisedLegal
30
19🇹🇭ThailandAsiaPartly legal / toleratedLegal
27
20🇦🇷ArgentinaSouth AmericaDecriminalisedLegal
26
21🇨🇱ChileSouth AmericaDecriminalisedLimited
26
22🇮🇹ItalyEuropeDecriminalisedLegal
26
23🇮🇱IsraelAsiaDecriminalisedLegal
25
24🇲🇽MexicoNorth AmericaPartly legal / toleratedLimited
25
25🇧🇿BelizeNorth AmericaDecriminalisedNone
25
26🇵🇹PortugalEuropeDecriminalisedLegal
24
27🇻🇨Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesNorth AmericaDecriminalisedLegal
24
28🇧🇪BelgiumEuropeDecriminalisedLimited
24
29🇨🇷Costa RicaNorth AmericaDecriminalisedLimited
23
30🇸🇮SloveniaEuropeDecriminalisedLegal
23
31🇧🇷BrazilSouth AmericaDecriminalisedLimited
23
32🇺🇦UkraineEuropeDecriminalisedLimited
23
33🇦🇺AustraliaOceaniaPartly legal / toleratedLegal
22
34🇧🇸BahamasNorth AmericaDecriminalisedLegal
22
35🇧🇧BarbadosNorth AmericaDecriminalisedLegal
22
36🇬🇪GeorgiaAsiaPartly legal / toleratedNone
22
37🇦🇹AustriaEuropeDecriminalisedLimited
21
38🇵🇪PeruSouth AmericaDecriminalisedLegal
21
39🇭🇷CroatiaEuropeDecriminalisedLimited
20
40🇩🇰DenmarkEuropeIllegalLegal
20
41🇳🇿New ZealandOceaniaIllegalLegal
20
42🇪🇪EstoniaEuropeDecriminalisedLimited
19
43🇲🇩MoldovaEuropeDecriminalisedNone
19
44🇦🇲ArmeniaAsiaIllegalNone
18
45🇰🇬KyrgyzstanAsiaIllegalNone
18
46🇪🇨EcuadorSouth AmericaDecriminalisedLimited
18
47🇵🇾ParaguaySouth AmericaDecriminalisedLimited
18
48🇬🇾GuyanaSouth AmericaIllegalNone
17
49🇫🇲MicronesiaOceaniaIllegalNone
17
50🇳🇴NorwayEuropeIllegalLimited
17
51🇵🇼PalauOceaniaIllegalNone
17
52🇬🇭GhanaAfricaIllegalLimited
16
53🇮🇸IcelandEuropeIllegalLimited
16
54🇳🇮NicaraguaNorth AmericaIllegalNone
16
55🇬🇧United KingdomEuropeIllegalLimited
15
56🇬🇷GreeceEuropeIllegalLimited
14
57🇮🇪IrelandEuropeIllegalLimited
14
58🇵🇱PolandEuropeIllegalLegal
14
59🇦🇱AlbaniaEuropeIllegalLimited
14
60🇰🇿KazakhstanAsiaIllegalNone
14
61🇱🇻LatviaEuropeDecriminalisedLimited
14
62🇻🇪VenezuelaSouth AmericaIllegalNone
14
63🇰🇭CambodiaAsiaIllegalNone
13
64🇫🇯FijiOceaniaIllegalNone
13
65🇫🇮FinlandEuropeIllegalLimited
13
66🇫🇷FranceEuropeIllegalLimited
13
67🇮🇳IndiaAsiaPartly legal / toleratedLimited
13
68🇱🇮LiechtensteinEuropeIllegalLimited
13
69🇲🇦MoroccoAfricaIllegalLimited
13
70🇱🇦LaosAsiaIllegalLimited
12
71🇳🇵NepalAsiaIllegalNone
12
72🇲🇰North MacedoniaEuropeIllegalLimited
12
73🇵🇦PanamaNorth AmericaIllegalLimited
12
74🇸🇨SeychellesAfricaIllegalLimited
12
75🇦🇩AndorraEuropeIllegalNone
11
76🇦🇴AngolaAfricaIllegalNone
11
77🇧🇦Bosnia and HerzegovinaEuropeIllegalNone
11
78🇧🇼BotswanaAfricaIllegalNone
11
79🇨🇻Cabo VerdeAfricaIllegalNone
11
80🇨🇮Côte d'IvoireAfricaIllegalNone
11
81🇬🇶Equatorial GuineaAfricaIllegalNone
11
82🇪🇷EritreaAfricaIllegalNone
11
83🇸🇿EswatiniAfricaIllegalNone
11
84🇬🇩GrenadaNorth AmericaIllegalLimited
11
85🇬🇼Guinea-BissauAfricaIllegalNone
11
86🇭🇳HondurasNorth AmericaIllegalNone
11
87🇽🇰KosovoEuropeIllegalNone
11
88🇱🇧LebanonAsiaIllegalLimited
11
89🇱🇸LesothoAfricaIllegalLimited
11
90🇱🇹LithuaniaEuropeIllegalLimited
11
91🇲🇼MalawiAfricaIllegalLimited
11
92🇲🇭Marshall IslandsOceaniaIllegalNone
11
93🇲🇨MonacoEuropeIllegalNone
11
94🇲🇪MontenegroEuropeIllegalNone
11
95🇲🇿MozambiqueAfricaIllegalNone
11
96🇷🇴RomaniaEuropeIllegalLimited
11
97🇸🇲San MarinoEuropeIllegalLimited
11
98🇸🇹São Tomé and PríncipeAfricaIllegalNone
11
99🇷🇸SerbiaEuropeIllegalNone
11
100🇸🇰SlovakiaEuropeIllegalLimited
11
101🇸🇧Solomon IslandsOceaniaIllegalNone
11
102🇹🇿TanzaniaAfricaIllegalNone
11
103🇹🇴TongaOceaniaIllegalNone
11
104🇹🇷TürkiyeAsiaIllegalLimited
11
105🇻🇺VanuatuOceaniaIllegalLimited
11
106🇷🇺RussiaEuropeIllegalNone
11
107🇨🇾CyprusEuropeIllegalLimited
10
108🇭🇺HungaryEuropeIllegalNone
10
109🇲🇳MongoliaAsiaIllegalNone
10
110🇵🇰PakistanAsiaIllegalLimited
10
111🇸🇪SwedenEuropeIllegalLimited
10
112🇧🇯BeninAfricaIllegalNone
9
113🇧🇴BoliviaSouth AmericaIllegalNone
9
114🇧🇫Burkina FasoAfricaIllegalNone
9
115🇧🇮BurundiAfricaIllegalNone
9
116🇨🇲CameroonAfricaIllegalNone
9
117🇨🇫Central African RepublicAfricaIllegalNone
9
118🇹🇩ChadAfricaIllegalNone
9
119🇰🇲ComorosAfricaIllegalNone
9
120🇨🇬CongoAfricaIllegalNone
9
121🇩🇯DjiboutiAfricaIllegalNone
9
122🇨🇩DR CongoAfricaIllegalLimited
9
123🇪🇹EthiopiaAfricaIllegalNone
9
124🇬🇦GabonAfricaIllegalNone
9
125🇬🇲GambiaAfricaIllegalNone
9
126🇬🇹GuatemalaNorth AmericaIllegalNone
9
127🇬🇳GuineaAfricaIllegalNone
9
128🇰🇮KiribatiOceaniaIllegalNone
9
129🇱🇷LiberiaAfricaIllegalNone
9
130🇲🇬MadagascarAfricaIllegalNone
9
131🇲🇱MaliAfricaIllegalNone
9
132🇳🇦NamibiaAfricaIllegalNone
9
133🇳🇪NigerAfricaIllegalNone
9
134🇵🇬Papua New GuineaOceaniaIllegalNone
9
135🇼🇸SamoaOceaniaIllegalNone
9
136🇸🇳SenegalAfricaIllegalNone
9
137🇱🇰Sri LankaAsiaIllegalLimited
9
138🇸🇷SurinameSouth AmericaIllegalNone
9
139🇹🇱Timor-LesteAsiaIllegalNone
9
140🇹🇬TogoAfricaIllegalNone
9
141🇹🇻TuvaluOceaniaIllegalNone
9
142🇺🇬UgandaAfricaIllegalLimited
9
143🇿🇼ZimbabweAfricaIllegalLimited
9
144🇲🇺MauritiusAfricaIllegalLimited
9
145🇦🇿AzerbaijanAsiaIllegalNone
8
146🇧🇹BhutanAsiaIllegalNone
8
147🇧🇬BulgariaEuropeIllegalNone
8
148🇵🇸PalestineAsiaIllegalNone
8
149🇺🇿UzbekistanAsiaIllegalNone
6
150🇻🇳VietnamAsiaIllegalNone
6
151🇨🇳ChinaAsiaIllegalNone
5
152🇲🇲MyanmarAsiaIllegalNone
4
153🇮🇷IranAsiaIllegalNone
4
154🇩🇿AlgeriaAfricaIllegalNone
3
155🇧🇩BangladeshAsiaIllegalNone
3
156🇨🇺CubaNorth AmericaIllegalNone
3
157🇩🇴Dominican RepublicNorth AmericaIllegalNone
3
158🇪🇬EgyptAfricaIllegalNone
3
159🇸🇻El SalvadorNorth AmericaIllegalNone
3
160🇭🇹HaitiNorth AmericaIllegalNone
3
161🇯🇴JordanAsiaIllegalNone
3
162🇰🇪KenyaAfricaIllegalNone
3
163🇱🇾LibyaAfricaIllegalNone
3
164🇲🇷MauritaniaAfricaIllegalNone
3
165🇳🇷NauruOceaniaIllegalNone
3
166🇳🇬NigeriaAfricaIllegalNone
3
167🇰🇵North KoreaAsiaIllegalNone
3
168🇸🇱Sierra LeoneAfricaIllegalNone
3
169🇸🇴SomaliaAfricaIllegalNone
3
170🇸🇸South SudanAfricaIllegalNone
3
171🇸🇩SudanAfricaIllegalNone
3
172🇸🇾SyriaAsiaIllegalNone
3
173🇹🇯TajikistanAsiaIllegalNone
3
174🇹🇳TunisiaAfricaIllegalNone
3
175🇾🇪YemenAsiaIllegalNone
3
176🇿🇲ZambiaAfricaIllegalLimited
3
177🇧🇭BahrainAsiaIllegalNone
2
178🇮🇶IraqAsiaIllegalNone
2
179🇯🇵JapanAsiaIllegalLimited
2
180🇲🇾MalaysiaAsiaIllegalLimited
2
181🇴🇲OmanAsiaIllegalNone
2
182🇶🇦QatarAsiaIllegalNone
2
183🇷🇼RwandaAfricaIllegalLimited
2
184🇰🇷South KoreaAsiaIllegalLimited
2
185🇹🇼TaiwanAsiaIllegalNone
2
186🇹🇲TurkmenistanAsiaIllegalNone
2
187🇦🇪United Arab EmiratesAsiaIllegalNone
2
188🇦🇫AfghanistanAsiaIllegalNone
1
189🇧🇾BelarusEuropeIllegalNone
0
190🇧🇳BruneiAsiaIllegalNone
0
191🇮🇩IndonesiaAsiaIllegalNone
0
192🇰🇼KuwaitAsiaIllegalNone
0
193🇲🇻MaldivesAsiaIllegalNone
0
194🇵🇭PhilippinesAsiaIllegalLimited
0
195🇸🇦Saudi ArabiaAsiaIllegalNone
0
196🇸🇬SingaporeAsiaIllegalLimited
0

Methodology

Six segments, each scored 0–10 against fixed levels, combined by weight into a 0–100 index. Half the score is simply whether you may possess and grow; a fifth is how hard users are punished. Rules for industry, products and medical programmes are not scored.

🍅 The tomato standard

A 10 means no cannabis-specific rule at all: carry any amount, grow a whole field, give it away, buy it anywhere. Every cap, licence, registry and restricted zone costs points, because regulation is counted as unfreedom. Canada lets you carry 30 g and grow four plants — that is legal, but it is not unlimited, so it scores 6 and 4, not 9 and 8. This is why even the most liberal countries land around 50 and the “Free” tier is empty.

Possession

25%

Can an adult hold a small amount for personal use?

  • 0Prison is a realistic outcome for a small amount
  • 1A crime, but usually ends in a fine or diversion
  • 3Decriminalised: at most an administrative fine
  • 5Legal up to a small cap (around 30 g)
  • 7Legal with a generous cap or none at home
  • 10Unlimited — like any vegetable

Personal cultivation

25%

Can you grow your own plants at home?

  • 0Treated as drug production, prison
  • 1A crime, lesser penalties for a few plants
  • 2A few plants tolerated or decriminalised
  • 4Legal for a handful of plants (3–6)
  • 6Legal with no fixed plant cap, private only
  • 10Unlimited, indoors or out, no registration

Punishment & enforcement

20%

How hard does the law come down on personal users in practice?

  • 0Death penalty, corporal punishment or long sentences
  • 1Users are routinely jailed
  • 2Prison possible, fines typical
  • 4Fines or diversion only
  • 6Nothing inside the limits, prison for going beyond them
  • 10No cannabis offences at all

Sharing & gifting

10%

Is passing cannabis to another adult, unpaid, treated differently from dealing?

  • 0Sharing equals trafficking
  • 2Illegal, but not pursued in practice
  • 3Legal grey area
  • 5Gifts between adults legal up to a cap
  • 10Give away any amount

Consumption

10%

Is using itself an offence, and where may you do it?

  • 0Use itself is a crime
  • 1Illegal, lightly enforced
  • 3Legal or tolerated in private only
  • 5Legal in public with many restrictions
  • 7Allowed wherever tobacco is
  • 10No cannabis-specific rules

Legal access

10%

Is there a lawful way to obtain cannabis without growing it yourself?

  • 0No lawful source
  • 1Medical route only, hard to use
  • 3Tolerated shops or clubs, or easy medical access
  • 4Legal clubs or state outlets with registration and caps
  • 6Licensed shops with purchase caps
  • 10Sold by anyone, no licence — like produce

Read this before relying on it

Scores are editorial estimates that blend the written law with how it is enforced in practice. Federal countries (United States, Australia, India) get a single national estimate that hides large internal differences. Scores between the listed levels mean a country sits between two descriptions. Every country has a written explanation and linked sources for each segment — select a country to read them. For many smaller countries the only sources available are secondary summaries, and the explanations say so where a figure could not be confirmed.

Laws change quickly and this is not legal advice. Always check current local law before travelling with, buying or growing cannabis.

The long story

Twelve thousand years together.
One century apart.

People have grown cannabis for about as long as they have grown anything. It gave rope, cloth, food and oil long before anyone wrote laws, and it travelled with farmers, traders and healers across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

The connection runs deeper than farming. Every human body has an endocannabinoid system: a network of receptors and home-made signalling molecules that helps regulate mood, appetite, pain, memory and sleep. It evolved for the body's own chemistry, hundreds of millions of years before the plant existed — but the plant's compounds happen to fit the same receptors. That is why cannabis affects us at all.

Against that history, prohibition is new. The worldwide ban is barely a lifetime old, and this index measures how much of it is still standing.

  1. c. 10,000 BCE

    Domesticated in East Asia

    Genome studies trace all of today's hemp and drug varieties back to plants first cultivated in early Neolithic East Asia — making cannabis one of humanity's oldest crops, grown for fibre, seed and oil.

  2. c. 500 BCE

    Smoked in the Pamir mountains

    Wooden braziers from a 2,500-year-old cemetery in western China still carry residue of high-THC cannabis — the earliest direct chemical evidence of people using it for its effect on the mind.

  3. 1961

    Banned by treaty

    The UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs places cannabis in its strictest category, alongside heroin. Most national prohibitions date from this century, not earlier.

  4. 1964 – 1992

    The body's own cannabinoids

    Chemists in Israel isolate THC in 1964. Researchers then find receptors for it in the brain and, in 1992, a molecule the body makes itself to fit them. They name it anandamide, from the Sanskrit for bliss.

  5. 2013

    The first country legalises

    Uruguay becomes the first nation to make cannabis legal for adults. A handful of others have followed.

  6. 2020

    The UN steps back

    After 59 years, a UN commission votes 27 to 25 to remove cannabis from the treaty's most restrictive schedule, recognising its medical use.

Sources:Ren et al. 2021, Science Advances — domestication history of Cannabis sativa · Ren et al. 2019, Science Advances — the origins of cannabis smoking in the Pamirs · Gaoni & Mechoulam 1964, J. Am. Chem. Soc. — isolation of THC · Devane et al. 1992, Science — discovery of anandamide · UN News, December 2020 — UN commission reclassifies cannabis