Inventory of Countries Rurrently Allow Legal Use of Marijuana

DankSmoke marketing team have conducted an analysis of some countries around the world where marijuana is legal. Today, we will share the different policies and levels of openness of these countries where marijuana is legal.
We provide a systematic review of global marijuana legalization policies based on official government documents, reports from international organizations, and authoritative media data (as of July 2025). It is understood that their policy types are divided into four categories: comprehensive legalization, state/provincial legalization, medical legalization, and non criminalization/tolerance policies.

1. Fully legalized country: both entertainment and medical purposes are legal

Features: Federal law allows adults to possess, cultivate, and purchase marijuana, establishing a national regulatory system.

Canada cannabis law

• Policy: Adults are allowed to hold ≤ 30 grams of dried marijuana, and household cultivation is limited to ≤ 4 plants; The government authorizes retailers to sell, and selling to minors can result in a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
• Effect: In 2023, the tax revenue exceeded 4 billion Canadian dollars, but the youth abuse rate increased by 12% (according to Health Canada data).

Uruguay cannabis law

• Policy: The world’s first fully legalized country, allowing registered citizens to purchase 40 grams per month (pharmacy), grow ≤ 480 grams per year, or join planting clubs.
• Controversy: Only 30% of users choose legal channels, while black market transactions still account for 70% (Reuters 2024 survey).

Mexico

• Policy: The Supreme Court ruled that the ban on marijuana is unconstitutional, and in 2022, a bill was passed allowing adults to hold ≤ 28 grams and households to grow ≤ 6 plants.

2. State/Provincial Legalization Country: Federal Prohibition but Local Legalization

Feature: Federal law still prohibits it, but some administrative regions can legislate independently.

United States (24 states+Washington D.C. entertainment legal)

• Colorado/Washington State (first legalized in 2012): Adults holding ≤ 28 grams, tax revenue used for education and drug control.
• California (2016): The world’s largest legal market with annual sales of $5.3 billion (2024), but there are 6000 illegal cultivation sites.
• Federal stance: Cannabis is a “level one controlled substance” (similar to heroin), but the Department of Justice does not interfere with state policies (planned to be downgraded to level three controlled substance in 2024).
• Conflict: The federal banking system is prohibited for intra state transactions, and cash transactions breed crime (FBI 2024 report).

3. Legalization of medical use in countries: limited to patient use only

Features: Requires a doctor’s prescription, strictly limits THC content and usage.

Germany (effective from April 2024)

• Policy: Adults holding ≤ 25 grams in public places and ≤ 3 plants for home planting; Starting from July, the “Cannabis Club” will open a membership based supply (≤ 50g/month).
• Goal: To crack down on the black market and reduce crime rates by an estimated 20% annually (German Ministry of Interior model).

Thailand (2022-2024 Policy Reversal)

• Legalization attempt: By 2022, entertainment use will be allowed, resulting in a surge of 11.1 million people (16% of the population) consuming food.
• Re ban: The ban will be reinstated in 2024 due to abuse issues, with only medical use retained (effective from January 2025).

Israel

• Medical marijuana has the highest coverage rate (over 100000 patients) and is allowed to be exported.

Australia

• Canberra allows adults to hold ≤ 50 grams, while other states only allow medical legality (such as New South Wales).

4. Decriminalization/Tolerance Policy: Exemption from punishment but not entirely legal

Features: Holding a small amount does not constitute a crime, but selling or planting is still punishable.

Netherlands (decriminalized in 1976)

• Policy: Coffee shops can sell ≤ 5 grams per person, and adults holding ≤ 5 grams are exempt from prosecution; But wholesale cultivation is illegal, giving rise to black market supply chains.
• Controversy: Amsterdam plans to ban tourists from entering cafes and reduce drug tourism by 2025.

Portugal (decriminalized in 2001)

• Policy: Possessing a dose of ≤ 10 days (approximately 25 grams of marijuana) is considered an administrative offense (fines instead of imprisonment), and drug use is considered a public health issue.
• Effect: Drug use rate decreased by 50%, HIV infection rate decreased by 76% (WHO 2023 assessment).

Spain

• Private use and “marijuana clubs” (non-profit membership) are legal, but prohibited in public places.

Key controversies and policy paradoxes

Legal Conflict Risk

• Federal employees in the United States can still be dismissed for smoking in legal states (Supreme Court case 2024).
• Chinese citizens who test positive for overseas drug use upon returning to China will be punished for drug use (detention/compulsory rehabilitation).

Health and Social Costs

• Cognitive impairment: Adolescents who engage in long-term smoking experience an 8-point drop in IQ (tracked by the University of Otago, New Zealand, ages 13-38).
• Entry point effect: Cannabis users are 26 times more likely to try hard drugs (The Lancet 2024 study).

Economy vs Public Safety

• Canada’s tax revenue increases but drug use driving accidents increase by 18% (2023 Royal Canadian Mounted Police data).
• During Thailand’s legalization period, tourism revenue increased by $1.5 billion, but the hospitalization rate for mental illness doubled (according to Bangkok Hospital statistics).

Conclusion: The dynamic adjustment of the ‘legalization experiment

Global cannabis policies are showing three levels of differentiation:

• Comprehensive regulation (Canada/Uruguay): attempting to control the black market through taxation, but insufficient protection for young people;
• Medical compromise (German/Thailand): balancing patient needs and abuse risks, with repeated policies;
• De criminalization (Portugal/Netherlands): reduces judicial costs but does not eradicate the criminal chain.

In these countries where marijuana is legal, there are also different habits regarding the tools and equipment used for smoking marijuana. Taking the United States as an example, vape devices are becoming increasingly popular as a fashionable and convenient smoking device.