summaryIllegal;Cannabis use, possession and growing solely for personal use carriesconsumption are criminal offences, punishable by up to six monthsone year in prison or a fine, and trafficking 5with a higher ceiling above the statutory quantity threshold. Courts may waive punishment for an occasional user in the lower band. Trafficking carries five to 15fifteen years, while the law provides confidentiality and treatment options for people who use drugs.
segments › possession › textIllegal for all purposes. Under Article 26 of Law 2/2017, a person who holdsIllicit possession or acquires cannabis onlyacquisition solely for personal use facescarries up to six monthsone year in prison or a fine ofassessed over up to 60120 days. Above five times the daily reference amount inquantities the law'sceiling rises to two years or a 240-day fine; the annex (sets daily references of 1 g of herbal cannabis, 0.5 g of resin, and 0.25 g of oil) the ceiling rises to one year or a fine of up to 120 days. An occasional user may be let offin the penaltylower band may have punishment waived.[@law]
segments › possession › sourcesl2law
segments › cultivation › textGrowing without authorisation is trafficking under Article 7, with 5 to 15 years in prison. Growing onlysolely for one's own usepersonal consumption falls under Article 26the personal-use offence: up to six monthsone year in prison or a 120-day fine of up, rising to 60 daystwo years or a 240-day fine above the quantity threshold.[@law] Unauthorised cultivation outside the personal-use offence falls under trafficking, with five to fifteen years in prison.[@law]
segments › cultivation › sourcesl2law
segments › enforcement › textThe president has said publicly that drug policy should distinguishPrison is used in cannabis from more dangerous drugs —cases: Lusa reported a rare signalthree-and-a-half-year sentence for Australian resident Tony Crean in the region — but theOctober 2017, followed by a planned defence appeal.[@conviction] In a different 2022 drug case, nine suspects were placed under identity-and-residence declarations and periodic reporting.[@release] The law has not changedallows fines, waiver for occasional users in the lower band and suspension of prison for a person with drug dependence who voluntarily accepts treatment.[@law]
segments › enforcement › sourcesmbconviction, release, law
segments › sharing › textOffering, selling, distributing or giving controlled cannabis to another person is traffickingwithout authorisation falls under Article 7 of Law 2/2017trafficking, punished with 5normally five to 15fifteen years. Where the wrong is[@law] A considerably smaller, Article 11 sets 1less serious case carries one to 5five years, and a person who deals onlywhile dealing exclusively to obtain drugs for personalthe dealer’s own use facescarries up to two years or a fine under Article 12.[@law]
segments › sharing › sourcesl2law
segments › consumption › textConsumption itselfIllicit consumption is ana separate offence under Article 26 of Law 2/2017, withcarrying up to six monthsone year in prison or a 120-day fine of up to 60 daysin the lower band; courts may waive punishment for an occasional user may be let off the penaltyin that band. A user who asks[@law] People seeking help from a doctor or health institution for help is guaranteed anonymity under Article 27have confidentiality protections, and medical staff are not required to report their identity or treatment to the criminal authorities.[@law]
segments › consumption › sourcesl2law
segments › access › textNoneThe drug law provides no recreational retail exception. Law 2/2017 treats unauthorised growingIt requires Health Ministry licensing, authorisations and supply as trafficking and punishes growingsupervision for one's own use as wellhandling substances in its controlled-drug tables, under rules to be set in a separate instrument.[@law] The 2025 pharmaceutical law continues to define narcotics and psychotropic substances by reference to those tables.[@pharma]
segments › access › sourcesl2law, pharma
context › production › textNoneCultivation, manufacture, trade and imports of controlled cannabis require the relevant authorisation; unauthorised production and supply outside the personal-use offence attract trafficking penalties.[@law] In June 2022, police reported seizing a suspected marijuana parcel sent from Ireland and referring its recipient for an initial court hearing.[@police]
context › production › sourceswikilaw, police
context › products › textNoneTable I-C controls cannabis leaves and flowering or fruiting tops, resin, oil and cannabis seeds not intended for sowing.[@law] The 2025 pharmaceutical rules define narcotics and psychotropic substances through the 2017 drug law’s schedules.[@pharma]
context › products › sourceswikilaw, pharma
context › medical › textNoThe law places controlled-drug handling under Health Ministry licensing and supervision and provides for separate implementing rules.[@law] In his November 2022 independence-anniversary address, President José Ramos-Horta advocated legalising medical cannabis.[@nov]
context › medical › sourceswikilaw, nov
context › consequences › textUnder Article 17 of Law 2/2017, the owner or manager of aA hotel, restaurant, café, club or venue operator who allows it to be used forpermits illicit drug use, production or trafficking, or knowingly fails to prevent it, faces 2two to 8eight years in prison.[@law] A foreigner convicted under the law may also be expelled for up to twenty years.[@law]
context › consequences › sourcesl2law
context › planting › textLaw 2/2017 listsThe final law expressly schedules cannabis as theseeds not intended for sowing, alongside leaves and, flowering or fruiting tops of the plant, resin and its articles do not mention seedsoil. Growing without authorisation is trafficking under Article 7;[@law] It also punishes growing onlysolely for one's own use falls under Article 26,personal consumption with up to six monthsone year in prison or a fine in the lower band. Unauthorised cultivation outside that offence falls under trafficking; personal growing remains a criminal offence.[@law]
context › planting › sourcesl2law
context › clubs › textNo cannabis clubs are known, and theThe drug law leavesprovides no room for them: growing cannabis-club exception to its unauthorised growing and supplyingsupply offences.[@law] A club or venue operator who permits illicit use or trafficking, or knowingly fails to stop it, may face two to another person are both prohibitedeight years in prison.[@law]
context › clubs › sourceswikilaw
context › visitors › textThere is no legal recreational supply for anyone. Possession for personal Personal-use ispossession remains a crime under Article 26 of Law 2/2017criminal offence, withcarrying up to six monthsone year in prison or a fine in the lower band.[@law] Unauthorised imports outside the personal-use offence fall under trafficking, and a foreigner convicted under the drug law may also be expelled for up to twenty years.[@law]
context › visitors › sourcesl2law
sourcesTimor-Leste — Law 2/2017, final text in Jornal da República, 25 January 2017
Lusa via RTP — Australian sentenced to three and a half years in Timor-Leste, 20 October 2017
RTTL — Student movement challenges court supervision of nine drug suspects, 19 August 2022
Timor-Leste — Decree-Law 2/2025 on pharmaceutical trade, 22 January 2025
Timor-Leste National Police — Suspected marijuana parcel referred to court, reported June 2022
President José Ramos-Horta — Independence anniversary address, 28 November 2022
Lei n.º 2/2017 — Lei de Combate ao Tráfico e Consumo Ilícito de Droga, Portuguese and Tetum (Timor-Leste Customs Authority copy)
Wikipedia — Cannabis in Timor-Leste
Macau Business (Lusa) — Timor-Leste drug policy should distinguish cannabis from dangerous drugs, says president