Portugal countries/pt.yaml
Since July 2001, possession for personal Personal-use possession is an administrative matter. Police confiscateoffence under the cannabis[2001 reform](/history/portugal-decriminalisation-2001/), with confiscation and refer the personreferral to a regional dissuasion commission, which can suspend the case, fine them or recommend treatment.[@use] Since [1 October 2023](/history/portugal-personal-use-quantity-2023/), exceeding the figures of 25 g of flower and 5 g of hashish are the average ten-day amounts. Holding morereference amount is evidence of a sign that thepossible different purpose may be something other, rather than an automatic possession crime: proven exclusive personal use, and is referred back to the police can still seize itcommission.[@law55] The existing reference amounts are 25 g flower and open an inquiry5 g resin. Where[@qmhc] For a judicial authority finds the cannabis was only for personal usenon-dependent user, it closes the criminal case and sends the personstatutory cannabis fine converts to the commission€24.94–149.64; first cases without an earlier administrative proceeding must be provisionally suspended.[@use,euro]
lawuse, law55, qmhc, euro
label Personal-use possession (administrative)or use · treatment civil · note Confiscation and referral to a dissuasion commissionterm Law 30/2000, which can suspend the caseArticles 2, 11, 15–16 · fine or recommend treatmentmin 24.94 · fine 149.64 · note Fine range for non-dependent users; 25 g flower and 5 g hashish are the tenfirst proceedings must be suspended if statutory conditions apply; dependent users receive non-day reference amountsmonetary sanctions
Not covered by decriminalisation. Growing any number of plants, even one for yourself, is apersonal use remains criminal offence under the current Article 40(1): up to three months in prison or a fine of up to thirty days.[@drug] The court may waive punishment under paragraph 5.[@drug] There is no statutory one-plant exemption; growing for supply falls under the separate trafficking lawprovisions.[@drug]
qmhc, growdrug
Personal use is handled with administrative sanctionsand possession go through dissuasion commissions, often waivedwith mandatory provisional suspension for a first non-dependent case where the statutory conditions apply. Above[@use] The 2023 clarification keeps proven exclusive personal possession administrative even beyond the ten-day reference amount, a criminal inquiry can continue until exclusive personal use is shown. Growing[@law55] Cultivation and dealing carry prison sentencessupplying another person remain outside that protection.[@drug]
qmhcuse, law, law55, drug
SupplyingArticle 21 covers offering, giving and providing cannabis to someone elseanother person as well as selling; its ordinary range is trafficking, with afour–twelve years.[@drug] Considerably reduced sentence available for people who deal onlyseriousness can bring one–five years under Article 25.[@drug] Article 26 permits up to fund their ownthree years or a fine where the exclusive aim is obtaining drugs for personal use, but excludes holdings above its separate five-day amount.[@drug]
qmhc, erowiddrug
UsingUse is an administrative infraction handled by the dissuasion commissionoffence, including in private. In practice[@use] The commission must provisionally suspend a first-time non-dependent users usually have proceedings suspended withuser’s proceeding where there is no previous proceeding under the law.[@use] Where a sanction is imposed, non-dependent users may receive a fine or a non-monetary measure; dependent users receive non-monetary sanctions.[@use]
law, qmhcuse
No legal source for adult use:Decriminalisation provides no shopsgeneral recreational shop or supply authorisation, no clubs, no homeand personal growing remains criminal. Bills to regulate have been debated without passing.[@drug,use] The only lawful route is[2018 medical: since law](/history/portugal-medical-2018 a doctor may prescribe approved/) permits prescribed authorised cannabis preparations,products dispensed inthrough pharmacies.[@medical18] INFARMED’s first-half 2026 report lists sixteen marketing authorisations and 5, but few products413 prescribed packages; authorisations are authorised and take-up is lownot a count of products stocked by every pharmacy.[@inf26]
growdrug, qmhcuse, medical18, inf26
There is no legal recreational supply. Since 2001Possession and consumption for personal -use possession isare administrative: police confiscate and refer to a dissuasion commission offences, which can suspend, fine or recommend treatmenthandled through commissions rather than criminal sentencing. 25 g of flower and 5 g of hashish are the average[@use] The ten-day amounts; more signals possible dealingamount guides assessment of purpose, while proven exclusive personal possession remains within that route above the reference.[@law,law55,qmhc] Growing any number of plants, even one, staysfor personal use still carries a criminal penalty; supplying another person is separately punishable.[@qmhc,growdrug]
lawuse, law55, qmhc, growdrug
Portugal is one of Europe'INFARMED’s largest licensed medical cannabis producersreport records 27 valid cultivation authorisations and 24 manufacturing authorisations at its 2 June 2026 update.[@inf26] It reports exports of 66,305 kg of plant, preparations and substances in the first half of 2026, compared with dozens79,883 kg in all of companies cultivating almost entirely for export under licence from2025.[@inf26] Germany was the medicines agencylargest destination, with 37,442 kg.[@inf26] Licensing and inspections cover security, records, traceability and product quality.[@inf26]
growinf26
Low-THC hemp products and prescription medical preparations only.
grow
Legal since 2018 and regulated by the medicines agency. AAny doctor may prescribe authorised products for the approved cannabis preparationsindications when conventional treatments havetreatment has failed or causes significant adverse effects, dispensed inwith dispensing confined to pharmacies; few products are authorised.[@inf] The 2018 law also permits the patient to hold and taketransport the prescribed quantity for personal treatment.[@medical18] The first-up is lowhalf 2026 report records sixteen marketing authorisations and 5,413 prescribed packages, against 7,023 packages across 2025.[@inf26] These package counts are not unique patient totals.[@inf26]
growinf, qmhcmedical18, inf26
No criminal record forPersonal use or possession is an administrative offence rather than a criminal conviction.[@use] Commission proceedings are confidential, though theysanctions can include bansrestrictions on visiting certainspecified places, activities or holding certain licencestravel and periodic reporting.[@use] Growing and supply remain criminal, so the personal-possession rule does not prevent a record for those offences.[@drug]
lawuse, qmhcdrug
Industrial hemp cultivation requires annual authorisation, certified seed andCertified sowing under prescribed conditions; it-seed producers must be grown outdoors from seedlicensed by DGAV, and transplanting plants is not allowedwith common-catalogue varieties; seed multiplication above 0. Medical cultivation and wholesale trade in the plant or parts of it are separately licensed through3% THC also needs prior INFARMED permission. Seeds and[@propagation] Producers of rooted clones are therefore confined to authorised industrial orrequire medical channels-cannabis licensing, phytosanitary registration and documented movements to other authorised professionals.[@propagation] Industrial fibre/feed-seed cultivation is a separate DGAV authorisation and does not general adult saleallow transplants.[@dgav]
hemp_rulespropagation, cannabis_rulesdgav
Industrial hemp needs annual authorisationDGAV authorises cultivation for fibre and seeds not intended for sowing, including food or animal-feed uses.[@dgav] Applications are annual and require certified seed and sowing outdoors from seed under prescribed conditions; the crop must be sown outdoors, without transplanting plants is not allowed.[@hemp_rulesdgav] Medical cultivation and wholesale go through separateThe [March 2023 amendment](/history/portugal-hemp-thc-limit-2023/) sets the statutory THC ceiling at no more than 0.3% for eligible common-catalogue varieties.[@hemp23] Other crop purposes require an INFARMED licencesroute.[@cannabis_rulesdgav]
hemp_rulesdgav, cannabis_ruleshemp23
Driving under the influence of a psychotropic substance is forbidden.[@ce81,ce157,stj10] A driver is under that influence when an examination under the road code, and the rules that complement it, says so in a medical or expert report.[@ce81,ce157,stj10] Detection alone is not that report.[@ce81,ce157,stj10] The fine is 500 to 2,500 euros.[@ce81,ce157,stj10] Where there are signs of influence, or after a crash with a death or a serious injury, the driver is tested.[@ce81,ce157,stj10] A positive screen bars driving for 48 hours, unless a new screen is negative sooner.[@ce81,ce157,stj10] That bar is not the offence.[@ce81,ce157,stj10] A Supreme Court judgment published on 15 July 2024, about an insurer's claim after a crash … diminished the driver's fitness to drive safely, shown by a medical or expert examination.[@ce81,ce157,stj10] In that case 0.8 ng/mL of THC and 4.3 ng/mL of THC-COOH, without such a report, did not establish influence.[@ce81,ce157,stj10]
The EU drugs agency's statistical bulletin records 12,109 cannabis-related drug law offences in Portugal in 2024, against 16,304 in 2023.[@euda_dlo] Of the 2024 total, 6,637 were for use or possession for use.[@euda_dlo] Use is an administrative matter handled by dissuasion commissions, and the agency warns that the 2017 to 2021 figures are incomplete.[@euda_dlo] Countries count these differently (offences or offenders, criminal or administrative), so the figure is not comparable across borders.[@euda_dlo]
The sources disagree.[@pardal20,giq24,de_cang,mt_cap628] A Europe-wide survey of cannabis social clubs carried out in 2018 and 2019 found, after online searches and contact with people in the field, that there did not seem to be any active club in Portugal.[@pardal20,giq24,de_cang,mt_cap628] A 2024 trade-press guide describes private member associations that grow collectively for … nnual fee of 50 to 150 euros, and clubs vet newcomers carefully to avoid police attention.[@pardal20,giq24,de_cang,mt_cap628] The authorities have not endorsed the clubs' reading of the law, and no law in Portugal provides for them.[@pardal20,giq24,de_cang,mt_cap628] Malta (since 2021) and Germany (since 2024) license non-profit cannabis associations, but only under their own laws.[@pardal20,giq24,de_cang,mt_cap628]
There is no legalgeneral recreational supply route, and growing for anyonepersonal use remains a crime. Possession for[@drug] The personal-use is an administrative matter: police confiscate it and refer the person toregime does not make cannabis a regional dissuasion commission, which can suspend the case, fine them or recommend treatmentlegal retail product. Since 1 October 2023[@use, 25 g of flower and 5 g of hashish are reference amounts fordrug] Above the ten days. A larger-day reference amount can still start a criminalan inquiry untilmay be needed; proven exclusive personal use is shownpossession goes back to the commission.[@law55]
lawdrug, law55use, qmhclaw55
The EU drugs agency's statistical bulletin records 1,845 kg of herbal cannabis and 7,344 kg of cannabis resin seized in Portugal in 2024, against 1,549 kg and 37,945 kg in 2023.[@euda_szr] Herbal cannabis was seized on 798 occasions and resin on 4,446.[@euda_szr] Plant seizures came to 2,635 plants.[@euda_szr] Countries record seizures differently, so the figures are not comparable across borders.[@euda_szr]
Lisbon District Prosecutor-General — Decree-Law 15/93, current consolidation through May 2026 Lisbon District Prosecutor-General — Law 30/2000, current consolidation European Commission — Portugal and the euro, fixed conversion rate Diário da República — Law 33/2018 on cannabis medicines INFARMED — Cannabis for medicinal purposes, prescribing and licensing INFARMED — Medicinal cannabis activity report, first half of 2026 DGAV — Hemp cultivation procedure, March 2023 Diário da República — Portaria 64/2023, industrial hemp THC ceiling DGAV / INFARMED — Technical clarification 7/2023, cannabis seed and plant propagation ICAD — Parliament approves commendation for João Goulão 16 unchanged
EUR
label Unauthorised cultivation for personal use · treatment criminal · term Decree-Law 15/93, Article 40(1), (5) · prison 3 months · note Or a fine of up to thirty days; punishment may be waived; no statutory plant allowance, label Unauthorised cultivation for supply — ordinary offence · treatment criminal · term Article 21(1) · prison min 4 years · prison 12 years · note Lesser-gravity and other special provisions can apply
label Ordinary unlawful cannabis supply, including giving · treatment criminal · term Article 21(1) · prison min 4 years · prison 12 years, label Trafficking of considerably reduced seriousness · treatment criminal · term Article 25(a) · prison min 1 year · prison 5 years, label Trafficker-consumer within the specific statutory conditions · treatment criminal · term Article 26(1), (3) · prison 3 years · note Or a criminal fine; exclusive personal-use funding purpose and no more than the five-day amount
EUR
label Cannabis consumption — administrative proceeding · treatment civil · term Law 30/2000, Articles 2, 11, 15–16 · fine min 24.94 · fine 149.64 · note Fine range for non-dependent users; first proceedings must be suspended if statutory conditions apply; dependent users receive non-monetary sanctions
The [João Goulão atlas entry](/culture/people/joao-goulao/) follows the physician associated with Portugal’s approach to drug use.[@goulao26] In February 2026 parliament commended his role in designing, implementing and consolidating the prevention, harm-reduction and treatment model.[@goulao26] The [2001 reform](/history/portugal-decriminalisation-2001/) gives that approach a concrete mechanism: commission proceedings and conditional suspension for personal-use cases.[@use]
goulao26, use