history: Croatia/Serbia recreational/hemp/research contexts, ladders

HRK

label Small amount for personal use (misdemeanour since 2013) · treatment administrative · fine 20000 · prison 90 days · note Fine of 5,000–20,000 kuna or up to 90 days' detention; no fixed gram threshold

label Unauthorised cultivation as production (Article 190) · treatment criminal · prison min 6 months · prison 5 years · note Six months to five years, label Cultivation where the drug is meant for sale · treatment criminal · prison min 3 years · prison 12 years · note Three to twelve years

label Selling, offering or brokering (Article 190) · treatment criminal · prison min 3 years · prison 12 years · note Three to twelve years; three to fifteen where a child or a school is involved, label Giving for use or providing a place (Article 191) · treatment criminal · prison min 6 months · prison 5 years · note Six months to five years

There is no legal recreational supply. Since 2013 small-amount personal possession is a misdemeanour, not a crime: 5,000–20,000 kuna (about €650–2,650) or up to 90 days' detention, with no fixed gram threshold — courts assess personal use.[@zszd,nn39,wiki] Growing even a few plants for yourself stays criminal: six months to five years, or three to twelve where the drug is meant for sale.[@kz]

zszd, nn39, wiki, kz

Industrial hemp of EU-listed varieties at no more than 0.2% THC is exempt from the growing ban, with registration before sowing; acquiring and possessing seed counts as growing outside medical, veterinary, scientific and teaching use.[@zszd] Low-THC hemp products are sold, but prescription medical cannabis remains practically unavailable.[@mjb,pp25]

zszd, mjb, pp25

Drug-ban exemptions cover medical, veterinary, scientific and teaching use, and the 2019 change allowed domestic medical-cannabis production — but no authorised producer or distributor was on sale by 2025, leaving research without a domestic supply chain.[@zszd,pp25] No separate research programme, trial or published study was established by the retained sources.

zszd, pp25

label Small amount for personal use · treatment criminal · prison 3 years · note Fine or up to three years, with possible waiver; prosecutors may defer with obligations, label Large quantity, even for personal use · treatment criminal · prison min 3 years · prison 10 years · note Three to ten years; three years upheld for about 372 g in 2024

label Unauthorised growing of psychoactive cannabis · treatment criminal · prison min 2 years · prison 8 years · note Two to eight years

label Giving drugs to consume or providing premises (facilitation) · treatment criminal · prison min 6 months · prison 5 years · note Six months to five years, label Unauthorised sale and other supply · treatment criminal · prison min 3 years · prison 12 years · note Three to twelve years, aggravated for minors, specified locations and professional roles

There is no legal recreational supply. Small-amount personal possession brings a fine or up to three years, with possible waiver; prosecutors may defer eligible cases with obligations like community work or treatment.[@code,prosecutor] A large quantity brings three to ten years even for personal use — three years were upheld for about 372 g in 2024.[@code,stock24] Unauthorised growing brings two to eight years.[@code]

code, stock24, prosecutor

List-2 substances, including cannabis, are permitted for research and exceptionally for therapy under legal controls, and the minister can authorise imports of unregistered controlled medicines for named patients through a licensed wholesaler.[@schedules26,zpks] No separate research programme, trial or published study was established by the retained sources.

schedules26, zpks

Licensed hemp is confined to fibre, animal-feed seed, propagation and specified seed activities: registered varieties below 0.3% THC, documented seed and a one-year agriculture permit.[@zpks,hemp13] Cannabis varieties capable of more than 0.3% THC are prohibited, and cannabis and resin stay on controlled-drug lists 1 and 2; the 2018 consultation rejected legalising medical cannabis oil.[@hemp13,schedules26,proposal18]

zpks, hemp13, schedules26, proposal18