Suriname
South America
#138 of 196 worldwide
#12 of 12 in South America
Up to four years for possession, with no Dutch-style tolerance; industrial hemp was legalised in 2022.
Score breakdown ▏world average
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Possession · 25%1/10adds 2.5 of 25 points
Illegal under the narcotics law, with up to four years in prison for possession plus fines. Despite the country's Dutch ties, there is no tolerance policy or decriminalised amount.
Personal cultivation · 25%1/10adds 2.5 of 25 points
Cultivation is a crime.
Punishment & enforcement · 20%1/10adds 2.0 of 20 points
Prison is available for possession; small cases often end in fines.
Sharing & gifting · 10%1/10adds 1.0 of 10 points
Trafficking carries up to twelve years, twenty for organised supply.
Consumption · 10%1/10adds 1.0 of 10 points
Use is prosecuted through possession.
Legal access · 10%0/10adds 0.0 of 10 points
More context not part of the score
In October 2022 the National Assembly passed an Industrial Hemp Cultivation Law allowing licensed hemp of up to 1% THC, largely for export.
Hemp products only; CBD is classed as controlled.
None. A push under the previous government to legalise medical use and home growing was dropped after the 2020 election.
A conviction is a criminal record.
All sources
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