Northern Cyprus
Europe
Not ranked: disputed territory
would rank #153 among countries
Possession of a few grams is tried in the criminal courts and regularly ends in prison. Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug among Turkish Cypriots, and there have been small protests calling for legalisation.
Disputed territory. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has governed the north of the island since 1974 and declared independence in 1983. Only Turkey recognises it; other countries regard it as part of the Republic of Cyprus, whose law is not applied there. See also 🇨🇾 Cyprus.
In short all countries →
- Can I carry it?NoIt is a crime
- Can I grow it?NoIt is a crime
- Can I buy it?NoThere is no legal source
- Can I use it in public?NoUse itself is an offence
- What if I'm caught?PrisonUsers are routinely jailed
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.
- Cannabis users
- about 14,000
- Share aged 15–64
- about 5.7%
An estimate: there is no national survey, so the median rate of surveyed countries in Europe is assumed.
Source: UNODC World Drug Report prevalence figures, as collected in Wikipedia's list of annual cannabis use by country; population aged 15–64 from the World Bank.
Score breakdown ▏world average
Select a segment to show or hide the exact rules and sources.
Possession · 25%0/10adds 0.0 of 25 points
Possession is a criminal offence tried in the Heavy Criminal Court. In one reported case a young first offender caught with 14 g and later 12 g of cannabis, plus half a gram of cocaine, was sentenced to a year in prison, with the judge treating the small amount and the fact that cannabis is among the lightest drugs as mitigation.
Personal cultivation · 25%0/10adds 0.0 of 25 points
Growing is a criminal offence. No tolerated number of plants is known.
Punishment & enforcement · 20%1/10adds 2.0 of 20 points
Prison sentences for small amounts are routine, and local courts report them regularly.
Sharing & gifting · 10%0/10adds 0.0 of 10 points
Supply is prosecuted as dealing, with longer prison terms than for possession.
Consumption · 10%1/10adds 1.0 of 10 points
Use is illegal. A first 420 gathering was held in north Nicosia in 2015, and in April 2017 protesters outside parliament called for regulated sale and use.
Legal access · 10%0/10adds 0.0 of 10 points
No legal source.
More context not part of the score
None. In 2020 a governing-party deputy said that producing medical cannabis might be discussed in parliament; no law followed that could be confirmed.
No medical programme could be confirmed. The medical cannabis laws passed in 2017 and 2019 were those of the Republic of Cyprus, in the south.
Surveys between 2003 and 2015 found that 4.5% to 7.7% of adults had tried cannabis, the most widely used illegal drug among Turkish Cypriots.
Taking cannabis into or out of Northern Cyprus is a separate offence from possessing it, normally charged as smuggling or trafficking, with far heavier penalties. That holds almost everywhere, including between two places where cannabis is legal.
A prescription or medical card from another country is generally not recognised. Travellers who need a cannabis-based medicine should ask Northern Cyprus's embassy before travelling.
General guidance that applies to almost every country, not a check of Northern Cyprus's customs rules.
All sources
Last updated: · 2 sources