Cannabis Freedom IndexHong Kong7
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Hong Kong

Asia

7/100

Prohibition

Not ranked: Special administrative region
would rank #145 among countries

Possession and use carry up to seven years in prison; very small first-offence personal-use cases may receive a fine, probation or community service. Growing cannabis carries up to fifteen years. CBD has also been controlled since February 2023.

Recreational: IllegalMedical: None
Clubs: None knownVisitors: No legal access

Special administrative region. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China with its own legal system and laws. Its drug law, the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, is separate from mainland China's. See also 🇨🇳 China.

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A rough guide read from the scores below, not legal advice. The details and the exceptions are in each segment: select an answer to jump to it.

Score over time

Cannabis users
about 99,000
Share aged 15–64
about 2%

This site's figure: there is no national survey, so the median rate of surveyed countries in Asia is applied to people aged 15–64.

Source A median computed on this site from surveyed countries in Asia, using UNODC World Drug Report 2026 figures. Population from the World Bank, aged 15–64. The whole dataset →

Beyond the lawAll 15 datasets →

Human Freedom Index

7.68/10 · #53 of 165

Cannabis freedom: 122nd of the same 165, less free than its general freedom suggests.

See the map →

Source Cato Institute and Fraser Institute — The Human Freedom Index 2025, data for 2023.

Score breakdown ▏world average

Select a segment to show or hide the exact rules and sources. How the scores are made →

Possession · 25%1/10
adds 2.5 of 25 points

Possession carries up to seven years and HK$1 million on indictment, or three years and HK$100,000 on summary conviction. For very small quantities clearly for personal use, courts often consider fines, probation or community service, especially for first offenders.[1]

Personal cultivation · 25%0/10
adds 0.0 of 25 points

Growing any cannabis plant carries up to fifteen years and HK$100,000.[2] The 2023 court guidelines use estimated annual yield, with the grower’s role, scale of operation and other circumstances affecting sentence; under 5 kg falls below two years, while above 150 kg falls above ten years.[3]

Punishment & enforcement · 20%2/10
adds 4.0 of 20 points

Courts generally consider a treatment-suitability report before custody; for very small personal-use amounts, first offenders may receive non-custodial sentences, while repeat offenders may be sent to a Drug Addiction Treatment Centre.[1] In 2000, an appeal reduced a repeat offender’s sentence for 1.18 g of cannabis from six months to two.[4] Drug arrests across all substances reached 4,108 in 2025; the reported conviction rate for drug prosecutions was 86%.[5]

Sharing & gifting · 10%0/10
adds 0.0 of 10 points

Trafficking includes giving away any amount and carries up to life imprisonment and HK$5 million.[2] Since January 2023, herbal cannabis and resin follow the same trafficking sentencing scale, beginning with a band of up to sixteen months for under 2 kg, with individual circumstances affecting the result.[3]

Consumption · 10%0/10
adds 0.0 of 10 points

Smoking, inhaling, ingesting or injecting a dangerous drug is an offence carrying up to seven years and HK$1 million.[2] CBD came under those controls on 1 February 2023.[6]

Legal access · 10%0/10
adds 0.0 of 10 points

Possession and use must comply with the ordinance or a licence granted by the Director of Health. Cannabis and cannabis resin are excluded from the ordinary professional and pharmacy authorities in sections 22 and 24.[7]

References

  1. Community Legal Information Centre, University of Hong Kong — Possession of dangerous drugs, sentencing
  2. Hong Kong Police Force — Laws and penalties for narcotics offencesDangerous Drugs Ordinance, Chapter 134. Cultivating a cannabis plant: HK$100,000 and 15 years. Manufacturing a dangerous drug: HK$5 million and life imprisonment.
  3. Hong Kong Court of Appeal — HKSAR v Nguyen Thang Loi and Dang Hung Ngoc, 20 January 2023CACC 145 and 217/2019; paragraphs 1–29 and 94–109: case facts, trafficking/cultivation tariffs, individual culpability and dismissals
  4. Hong Kong High Court — HKSAR v Phung Hai, 17 February 2000HCMA 25/2000, paragraphs 1–4; 1.18 grammes of cannabis, previous convictions and reduction to two months
  5. Hong Kong Government — Drug abuse and drug situation in Hong Kong in 2025 (17 March 2026)
  6. Hong Kong Government — CBD control takes effect on 1 February 202331 January 2023 announcement; disposal collections, commencement and maximum penalties
  7. Hong Kong — Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, consolidation of 12 June 2026Sections 4, 8, 9, 22(6), 24 and 54A; First Schedule Part I paragraph 11; professional authorities exclude cannabis and cannabis resin

Last updated: · 9 sources · history: 13 of 13 entries checked

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