Vanuatu
Oceania
#105 of 196 worldwide
#9 of 14 in Oceania
Licences for medical cannabis and hemp production were introduced in 2021.
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
Possession is an offence under the Dangerous Drugs Act, whose maximum penalties — fines up to VT 100 million and up to 20 years in prison — apply across possession, supply and cultivation. Courts typically give small-scale offenders suspended sentences or community work.
Personal cultivation · 25%1/10adds 2.5 of 25 points
Cultivating any cannabis plant without a licence is prohibited under the same Act.
Punishment & enforcement · 20%2/10adds 4.0 of 20 points
Very high maximum penalties on paper; lighter outcomes for small amounts in practice.
Sharing & gifting · 10%1/10adds 1.0 of 10 points
Supply is an offence with the same maximum penalties.
Consumption · 10%1/10adds 1.0 of 10 points
Legal access · 10%0/10adds 0.0 of 10 points
No legal source for the public.
More context not part of the score
The Industrial Hemp and Medical Cannabis Act 2021 allows a small number of export-oriented licences: applicants need ten years' industry experience and pay an annual fee of VT 10 million, which shuts out local growers.
Licensed products are for export.
The law is about production for export, not a patient programme.
A conviction is a criminal record.
All sources
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