Lithuania: penalty tables, cultivation correction, medical article and culture

Lithuania'’s new Criminal Code provides a separatecode separates small -possession tierand large cannabis grows

The new Criminal Code entered into forcetook effect on 1 May. Article 259 provided a fine, arrest orwith up to two years' imprisonment in prison or alternatives for unauthorisedordinary personal drug possession and related acts without intent to distribute. For aA small quantity, it was instead classified the conduct as a criminal misdemeanour punishable by, with community servicework, restriction of liberty, a fine or arrestshort custody. It also provided release from criminal liability for specifiedThe separate cannabis cultivation crime applied to large-quantity grows. Specified personal acts could be exempted when a personsomeone voluntarily sought medical help or surrendered the drugs. This was a tier within criminal law, rather than legal possession or supply.

2019-05-01

possession 1 · cultivation 12 · enforcement 2 · sharing 1 · consumption 1 · access 0

LRT — Parliament approves registered cannabis medicines, 11 October 2018 Wikipedia — Cannabis in Lithuania 1 unchanged

possession 2 · cultivation 12 · enforcement 3 · sharing 1 · consumption 2 · access 0

Preparation after June dispensing began; the notice establishes no further change in patient access.

Since [January 2017 possession of any amount](/history/lithuania-criminalisation-2017/), however small, unauthorised possession is handled as a criminal offence — before that, small amounts were anmisdemeanour; previously administrative matterliability overlapped with the criminal provision. Typical outcomes are a fine[@lawsummary] For no more than 5 g of cannabis, Article 259(2) permits community service, restriction of liberty or short arrest, plus a criminal recordfine or short custody of ten to forty-five days. A bill[@analysis18,bk259,bk49] Other ordinary personal possession carries alternatives including up to replace thistwo years in prison; very large quantities fall under Article 260(3), with warnings or fines of €ten to fifteen years even without intent to supply.[@bk259,bk260] The ordinary criminal fine bands are 15–500 penalty units for a misdemeanour and 50–300 has been in parliament2,000 for years; a contradictory vote added administrative liability without removing the criminal onenon-serious crime, and the committee postponed it again in 2025with one penalty unit worth EUR50.[@bk47,bk11,finebase]

lrt1lawsummary, libanalysis18, bk259, bk49, bk260, bk47, bk11, finebase

Unauthorised narcotic cannabis cultivation remains a crimegrowing below the criminal large-quantity classification brings an administrative fine of EUR30–150.[@libank340,bk265] Compliant fibre hemp is lawfulGrowing a large quantity contrary to the rules can bring a fine, including tightly regulated garden cultivation onrestriction of liberty, short custody or up to 0five years in prison.1 ha at no more than twenty plants per[@bk265] The ordinary criminal fine band for this offence is 100 m²–4,000 penalty units, EUR5,000–200,000.[@bk47,bk11,finebase] Compliant fibre hemp has a separate agricultural and small-garden route.[@hempguide]

libank340, bk265, bk47, bk11, finebase, hempguide

Thousands of mostly young people acquireSmall possession remains within criminal records each year for small amounts —law, even though the main argument behindavailable sanctions include community work, fines and restriction of liberty.[@bk259] The drug-control department describes the stalled reformJanuary 2017 shift from overlapping administrative and criminal liability to criminal-misdemeanour treatment.[@lawsummary]

lrt2bk259, lrt1lawsummary

Supply isSelling or otherwise distributing a crime withcontrolled drug carries two to eight years in prison.[@bk260] Large-quantity supply carries eight to ten years; very large quantities ten to fifteen.[@bk260] The law makes no general exception for giving cannabis to a friend.[@bk260]

libbk260

Use without possessiona doctor’s prescription is an administrative offence; in practice users are charged with possessiona EUR30–150 fine; repetition brings EUR150–230 and can lead to an obligation to attend an intervention programme.[@ank71] Voluntarily seeking healthcare for the use can exempt the administrative offence.[@ank71] Possession is separately criminalised.[@bk259]

libank71, bk259

Prescription-only cannabinoid medicine is obtainable through the medicines system.[@vapris] The state register lists Epidyolex (cannabidiol oral solution) as registered and a 100 ml package as currently supplied.[@vapris]

Registered cannabinoid medicines only.

lib

CannabisThe [medical reform effective in May 2019](/history/lithuania-medical-2019/) permits registered cannabis-based medicines whose safety and effectiveness have been permitted since 2019, but only as registered pharmaceuticalsdemonstrated.[@medicalvote] The state medicines register lists prescription Epidyolex is registered as, a prescription medicine and iscannabidiol oral solution, with a 100 ml package currently supplied.[@vapris] Pharmaceutical manufacture requires the relevant medicines and controlled-substance licences.[@manufacture]

libmedicalvote, vapris, manufacture

TheSmall possession is a criminal record blocks certain jobs and travelmisdemeanour, so an administrative use fine does not describe the whole exposure of someone also holding cannabis.[@bk259,ank71] Article 259 provides exemption from liability for yearsspecified personal acts when a person voluntarily seeks medical help or surrenders the drugs.[@bk259] Repeated unlawful use can also bring an obligation to attend an intervention programme.[@ank71]

lrt2bk259, libank71

There isVisitors have no legallawful recreational supply for anyoneseller. Since 2017[@bk260] Small possession of any amount, however small, is a criminal offence; typical outcomes are a fine, restriction of liberty ormisdemeanour and can bring short arrestcustody as well as non-custodial alternatives.[@bk259, plusbk49] Use without a criminal recordprescription is separately punishable by an administrative fine.[@ank71]

lrt1bk260, libbk259, bk49, ank71

Fibre hemp uses approved catalogue varieties at no more than 0.3% THC and certified seed.[ … ation and seed-label requirements, and no marketing of garden-grown products.[@hempguide] Finished hemp goods have a separate general 0.2% total-THC ceiling and lower category-specific limits.[@hempcurrent] Hemp products sold for smoking must contain zero THC under the rules effective from April 2023.[@hempfaq]

hempcurrent, hempguide, hempfaq

Lithuania Criminal Code — Article 259, current statutory text at Temidy Lithuania Criminal Code — Article 260, current statutory text at Temidy Lithuania Criminal Code — Article 265, current statutory text at Temidy Lithuania Criminal Code — Article 49, current statutory text at Temidy Lithuania Criminal Code — Article 47, current statutory text at Temidy Lithuania Criminal Code — Article 11, current statutory text at Temidy Lithuania Administrative Offences Code — Article 340, October 2026 text at Temidy Lithuania Administrative Offences Code — Article 71, October 2026 text at Temidy Lithuania Government — Resolution 1031, penalty base EUR50 from 1 January 2018 Lithuania Drug, Tobacco and Alcohol Control Department — National drug laws Lithuania drug-control department — Analysis of legal, health and social systems (2018) LRT — Lithuania approves registered cannabis medicines, 11 October 2018 BNS via Made in Vilnius — Committee returns to cannabis reform bill, 7 April 2025 Lithuania Drug, Tobacco and Alcohol Control Department — CBD hemp smoking-product FAQ Lithuanian Folk Culture Centre — Shrove Tuesday, account by J. Kudirka Klaipėda Ethnocultural Centre — Shrove Tuesday 14 unchanged

EUR

upto 5 g · treatment criminal · term Baudžiamasis nusižengimas, Article 259(2) · prison min 10 days · prison 45 days · fine min 750 · fine 25000 · note Short custody or a fine, community service or restriction of liberty; cannabis plant material, label Other ordinary personal possession · treatment criminal · term Article 259(1) · prison 2 years · fine min 2500 · fine 100000 · note Prison or a fine, community service, restriction of liberty or short custody, label Very large quantity, including without intent to supply · treatment criminal · term Article 260(3) · prison min 10 years · prison 15 years

EUR

label Unauthorised growing below criminal large-quantity classification · treatment civil · term ANK 340 · fine min 30 · fine 150, label Large-quantity unlawful growing · treatment criminal · term BK 265 · prison 5 years · fine min 5000 · fine 200000 · note Prison or a fine, restriction of liberty or short custody; no fixed plant safe limit verified

label Ordinary sale or other distribution · treatment criminal · term Article 260(1) · prison min 2 years · prison 8 years, label Large-quantity distribution · treatment criminal · term Article 260(2) · prison min 8 years · prison 10 years, label Very large quantity · treatment criminal · term Article 260(3) · prison min 10 years · prison 15 years

EUR

label Use without prescription · treatment civil · term ANK 71(1) · fine min 30 · fine 150, label Repeated use offence · repeat 2 · treatment civil · term ANK 71(2) · fine min 150 · fine 230 · note An intervention programme may also be ordered

Adults have no lawful recreational seller; ordinary distribution remains punishable by imprisonment.[@bk260] A small amount for oneself still attracts criminal-misdemeanour proceedings.[@bk259] Parliament’s [contradictory 2022 votes](/history/lithuania-half-step-2022/) left the reform bill unfinished, and a committee returned to it in [April 2025](/history/lithuania-cannabis-committee-2025/).[@lrt1,debate25]

bk260, bk259, lrt1, debate25

[Kanapinis, the hemp man](/culture/traditions/kanapinis-the-hemp-man/), appears in Shrove Tuesday celebrations as the lean rival of the fat Lašininis.[@folklore] The Folk Culture Centre’s account links him to hemp-seed foods eaten during Lent.[@folklore] Klaipėda’s ethnocultural centre describes the pair organising games during the city’s present-day carnival.[@klaipeda] [Cannabis](/culture/language/cannabis/) also retains a lawful agricultural role through the separate fibre-hemp rules.[@hempguide]

folklore, klaipeda, hempguide