Guernsey countries/gg.yaml
Cannabis is a Class B drug andRecreational possession leads to aremains criminal conviction, usually with a fine of a few hundred pounds. Importing even afines common in small amount is treated severelycases and much harsher treatment for imports. Doctors may prescribe medicalMedical cannabis is available privately, and. Certain CBD preparations have a review of non-punitive approaches to drug possession stalled in 2023retail exemption, with an age restriction applying from October 2026.
Possession is a criminal offence that endsUnauthorised Class B possession carries up to ten years in prison on indictment, a conviction. In 2019fine, or both under the Magistrate's Court finedMisuse of Drugs Law.[@law] Small court cases commonly bring fines; a man £650 for2019 case involving 2.44 g, with 32 days resulted in prison if he did not pay, and his friend £400 for the 0650.67 g found[@be19] Home Affairs said in the car2023 that people whose only offence was small-quantity possession were not receiving custodial sentences.[@be23]
law, be19, be23
GBP
label 2.44 g in 2019Unauthorised Class B possession; indictment · treatment criminal · fine 650term Possession of a controlled drug · note 32 days in prison if not paid, label 0.67 g in a car in 201910 years · treatmentnote Prison or an uncapped criminal · fine 400, or both; summary proceedings have lower limits
GrowingUnlicensed cannabis is prosecuted as production of a Class B drugcultivation carries up to fourteen years on indictment, even for a few plantsfine, or both.[@law] In 2024 the Royal Court gave a man who grew2024 four plants in two tents-plant case, the court imposed 240 hours of community service in place of two years in prison, plus and a £5,000 fine. In 2022 it jailed the organiser of a 141-plant basement grow for four years.[@gp24]
gp24law, be22gp24
GBP
label Four plants in 2024Unlicensed cannabis cultivation; indictment · treatment criminal · fine 5000 · note 240 hoursterm Cultivation of community service in place of two years in prison, label 141-cannabis plant basement grow in 2022 · treatment criminal · prison 414 years · note Prison or an uncapped criminal fine, or both; summary proceedings have lower limits
Users found with small amounts are fined and convicted. In 2023 the Committee for Home Affairs said people whose onlysmall-quantity possession cases, where no other offence was possessing a small amount of drugsinvolved, were not receiving custodial sentencesoutcomes, while admitting that the courts may notacknowledging inconsistent use non-punitive options consistentlyof alternatives. Importation is[@be23] Imports remain treated much more harshly than small domestic possession cases.[@be26]
Supply is prosecuted as such and punished with prison:Supplying a 2022 case brought sentences ofClass B drug or possessing it with intent to supply carries up to fourtwenty-one years for supplying cannabison indictment, a fine, or both. No distinction[@law] Supply is made for sharingan offence without paymenta separate exemption for unpaid gifts.[@law]
be22law
label Supply in 2022or possession with intent to supply; indictment · treatment criminal · term Supply of a controlled drug · prison 421 years · note No distinction for sharing without paymentPrison or an uncapped criminal fine, or both; summary proceedings have lower limits
UseUnauthorised personal use is dealt with through the possession offencerules. There are no places where it is tolerated[@law] Patients can use prescribed cannabis, and a patient-only social lounge was operating by January 2025.[@mhc,lounge2025]
be19law, mhc, lounge2025
No legal adult-use source. Local doctors may prescribe cannabis-based medicines products privately, and islanders can obtain them through an on-island clinic and pharmacy, or import amay arrange imports against UK or Jersey prescription under licence;prescriptions through the [licensing route introduced in 2020](/history/guernsey-medical-access-2020/).[@mhc] Individual import licences cost £30 per shipment, and the patient bearshandles communication with the costprescribing clinic and pharmacy.[@mhc]
There is no lawful recreational supply. Possession ends in aRecreational possession and growing remain criminal convictionoffences, usually with a fine of a few hundred pounds; importing even afines common for small amountpossession cases.[@law,be19] Importing cannabis is treated severely, with up to 21 years availableseparately and a three-year starting point for up to 2 kgmuch more severely.[@be19,be26] A 2023 review of non[2026 proposal to examine a regulated access pilot](/history/guernsey-punitive approaches stalledcannabis-working-group-withdrawn-2026/) was withdrawn, leaving the existing recreational rules in place.[@be23pilot2026]
law, be19, be26, be23pilot2026
Guernsey doctors may prescribe privately, and residentsIslanders can use an onobtain pharmaceutical-island clinic and pharmacy. Prescriptionsstandard cannabis medicines through private prescriptions from thelocal doctors, or arrange licensed imports using UK or Jersey can be imported with an import licence for eachprescriptions.[@mhc] Individual imports require a prescription sent directly by the clinic, atan online application and a £30 per licence; importing without one is a criminal offence. The health committee will not fund cannabis medicines for chronic paineach shipment.[@mhc] The health service funds only Epidyolex for two rare epilepsiesdestination must be the patient’s residence, Sativex for some multiple sclerosis symptoms and nabilone for chemotherapy nauseathe patient forwards the issued licence to the dispensing pharmacy.[@mhc]
In July 2020An individual medical import requires a licence matching the States voted to draw up prescription and shipment, so a prescription alone does not complete the import process.[@mhc] Small recreational possession can still produce a court fine and conviction.[@be19] In [2023](/history/guernsey-non-punitive options for possessing small amounts of drugs. In -review-stalls-2023/), Home Affairs concludedacknowledged that such approaches already existed and saidavailable alternatives might not be used consistently by the work had all but paused; a separate review of a legal framework for cannabis was shelvedcourts.[@be23]
gp20mhc, be19, be23
nonetolerated
NoThe Green Retreat operates a patient social lounge where entry requires proof of a cannabis clubs are known. Supplyprescription and identification showing the visitor is prosecuted with prison sentencesat least eighteen.[@lounge2025] ITV described it in January 2025 as a self-regulating venue rather than a government-licensed recreational supply association.[@lounge2025] The service provides a shared setting for patients to use their own medication.[@lounge2025]
be22lounge2025
There is no legal supplyrecreational purchasing route for anyonevisitors. In[@law] A December 2025 the Royal Court gave a visitor who broughtcase involving 16.15 g imported from Poole resulted in a 12twelve-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and a £1,000 fine.[@be26] The court said importation carries up to 21 yearspersonal medical import process requires a matching licence and the guideline starting point for importing up to 2 kg is three years in prisona Guernsey residential delivery address.[@mhc]
law, be26, mhc
Guernsey Legal Resources — Misuse of Drugs (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 1974, consolidated States of Guernsey — Cannabidiol (CBD) products Bailiwick Express — Cannabis products no longer on sale to children and young people (3 October 2026) ITV Channel — New spaces designated for medicinal cannabis in Channel Islands (9 January 2025) Guernsey Parliament — Cannabis working-group requête P2026/10 and withdrawal timeline Guernsey Parliament — Health and Social Care response to Rule 14 questions 2025-7 9 unchanged
Hemp flower is outside the retail CBD exemption because exempt products must contain no plant material visible to the naked eye.[@cbd] The official guidance describes labelled preparations containing at most 2.5% CBD and 0.1% CBN and its derivatives, including THC, relative to total weight, or an aggregate CBN-and-derivatives limit of 3% relative to CBD content.[@cbd] The required cannabinoid percentage must be confirmed by the States Analyst or an accredited laboratory; other controlled drugs are excluded.[@cbd] From [1 October 2026](/history/guernsey-cbd-products-age-limit-2026/), specified THC-containing CBD preparations cannot be supplied or offered to under-18s.[@age2026] Cannabis cultivation itself still needs permission.[@law]
cbd, age2026, law
none
The [Green Retreat patient lounge](/history/guernsey-patient-lounge-operating-2025/) gives medical users somewhere to meet and use their prescriptions socially.[@lounge2025] Founder Bruce Caruso described a place where patients could feel safe using medication responsibly.[@lounge2025] Its admission requirements distinguish that patient community from the recreational market.[@lounge2025]
lounge2025
Seeds separated from the rest of the plant are excluded from the law’s cannabis definition.[@law] Cultivating any cannabis plant still needs permission, so seed possession and germination have different legal consequences.[@law] A clone is a living plant and falls under the cultivation controls.[@law]
law
grey
open
licensed
regulated
The authorities have identified diversion of prescribed cannabis as a concern alongside the illegal market.[@diversionreport] A 2025 parliamentary response described a joint review of private prescribing practices, statistical evidence and intelligence, and gaps in data and oversight.[@diversionreport] It said most medicinal cannabis was prescribed privately and that prescribing clinics were not regulated like other controlled-drug prescribers.[@diversionreport]
diversionreport
word cannabis · lang English · meaning the legal term for the plant and drug · sources law, word resin · lang English · meaning cannabis resin; the law’s term · sources law, word CBD · lang English · meaning cannabidiol; used in official product guidance · atlas cbd · sources cbd