Laos countries/la.yaml
label Under 5 g for consumption · treatment civiltolerated · term Consumption · note TreatmentTreated as a victim and sent for treatment, not prison, label 5 to 10 g dried for consumption · treatment criminal · term Consumptio … term Consumption · prison min 1 month · prison 6 months · fine min 5000000 · fine 20000000
label Trading under 5 kg dried cannabis · treatment criminal · term Trading · prison min 6 … er 500 g · treatment criminal · term Trading · fine min 100000000 · fine 200000000 · note Life imprisonment and a fineFine of 100–200 million kip · life mandatory
Licensed hemp cultivation, processing and trade use registered seeds and qualified staff, … gistered consumer products include supplements, cosmetics and CBD beverages.[@jetro,hemp] The 21 October 2026 prohibited-narcotics resolution again lists cannabis plants and products with no published hemp carve-out, leaving the licensed route legally unresolved.[@na2026]
jetro, hemp, na2026
Decision 3789/MOH permits prescribed dried hemp flower with a 1% THC ceiling, and medical products with a 0.2% ceiling and CBD at least four times the THC content; no operating patient route was verified.[@hemp] The National Assembly’s 21 October 2026 prohibited-narcotics resolution again lists cannabis plants and products, with no published hemp carve-out, so the 2022 decision still has no clear statutory bridge.[@na2026]
hemp, na2026
Public Security Minister Vilay Lakhamphong reported 5,168 suspects in 3,395 drug cases over eleven months to parliament on 20 November 2024, including 199 foreigners; seizures included 3,583 kg of marijuana.[@kpl24] Calendar 2025 recorded 3,660 drug cases and 5,643 suspects, including 322 foreigners; no cannabis weight was published.[@lt26crime] A November 2025 report counted 21,003 cases and 31,289 suspects from July 2021 to October 2025, with 27,626 kg of cannabis seized.[@lt25] The arrest totals cover all drugs.[@kpl24]
kpl24, lt26crime, lt25
UNODC records 3,274 kg of herbal cannabis seized in 2024, against 1,045 kg in 2023.[@unodc_szr] A couple arrested in Bolikhamxay in March 2024 had more than 800 kg of cannabis, and the province reported 1,022 kg of dried cannabis in the first half of 2026.[@vir24,lt26b] The government reported about 3.6 tonnes in 2024 and 27,626 kg from July 2021 to October 2 … res use different categories and periods and are not directly comparable.[@unodc_szr,lt25]
unodc_szr, vir24, lt26b, kpl24, lt25, lt26, kpl26
Lao National Assembly — prohibited-narcotics list adopted 21 October 2026 Laotian Times — Drug crimes lead 2025 crime statistics (18 February 2026) VIR — Laos thwarts numerous major drug cases (26 March 2024) Laotian Times — Bolikhamxay six-month drug crackdown (15 July 2026) 10 unchanged