Laos
Asia
#71 of 196 worldwide
#9 of 48 in Asia
Illegal but widely available in tourist areas; limited medical and hemp use has been authorised.
Score breakdown ▏world average
Select a segment to show or hide the exact rules and sources.
Possession · 25%1/10adds 2.5 of 25 points
The 2007 Law on Narcotics and the 2017 Penal Code prohibit possession of cannabis. Penalties across cannabis offences range from three months to life imprisonment plus fines, depending on quantity and activity. In tourist towns cannabis is offered fairly openly, and visitors caught are more often made to pay on the spot than prosecuted.
Personal cultivation · 25%1/10adds 2.5 of 25 points
Cultivation is prohibited; the cannabis plant is listed as a narcotic-producing plant.
Punishment & enforcement · 20%2/10adds 4.0 of 20 points
Harsh on paper and arbitrary in practice: informal payments for tourists, prison for locals and for larger amounts.
Sharing & gifting · 10%1/10adds 1.0 of 10 points
Trafficking carries the heaviest sentences.
Consumption · 10%2/10adds 2.0 of 10 points
Use of narcotics is prohibited and can lead to compulsory treatment.
Legal access · 10%0/10adds 0.0 of 10 points
No legal source for THC cannabis.
More context not part of the score
A December 2022 Ministry of Health decision allows regulated cultivation, processing and trade of hemp for medicines and products. The narcotics law and Penal Code were not amended to match, leaving the legal position unclear.
Hemp-based products under the 2022 decision, some requiring prescription.
Limited to hemp-derived medicines under the 2022 decision.
Compulsory treatment centres are used for local drug users.
All sources
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