Bulgaria
Europe
#147 of 196 worldwide
#44 of 45 in Europe
A 'high-risk' drug: one to six years for possession, with a fine of up to 1,000 leva for minor cases that still counts as a conviction.
Score breakdown ▏world average
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Possession · 25%1/10adds 2.5 of 25 points
Cannabis is a class A 'high-risk' drug, grouped with heroin and cocaine. Possession carries one to six years in prison and a fine of up to 10,000 leva under Article 354a of the Penal Code. For 'minor cases' a separate provision allows a fine of up to 1,000 leva instead — still a criminal conviction, not an administrative penalty.
Personal cultivation · 25%0/10adds 0.0 of 25 points
Cultivation is a crime with prison terms.
Punishment & enforcement · 20%2/10adds 4.0 of 20 points
Most small cases end in the minor-case fine, but prison sentences for possession do occur, and reform is described as a political taboo.
Sharing & gifting · 10%0/10adds 0.0 of 10 points
Distribution carries two to eight years or more.
Consumption · 10%1/10adds 1.0 of 10 points
Use is not separately punished, but possession is.
Legal access · 10%0/10adds 0.0 of 10 points
History
More context not part of the score
No medical cannabis programme — unlike neighbouring Greece and Romania, there is not even a law on paper.
Even the minor-case fine leaves a criminal record.
All sources
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