Global legal status

Argentina has one of Latin America's more layered cannabis legal frameworks. Here's how it actually works — and what it means for curious Australian readers.

Austria's cannabis laws sit somewhere between cautious reform and outright prohibition. Here's how the framework actually works — and why it matters to Australian readers.

Belgium's cannabis law sits in an unusual place — decriminalised possession, a regulated medical programme, but no legal adult-use market. Here's how it actually works.

Bolivia's cannabis laws sit at a crossroads of coca-leaf tradition, international treaty obligations, and quietly evolving domestic policy. Here's how the framework actually works.

Brazil's cannabis access framework is more complex than most people realise. Here's how the regulatory picture actually works — and what it means for AU readers.

Bulgaria sits at an interesting crossroads in European cannabis law. Here's how the framework actually works — scheduling, access, hemp rules, and what it means for EU policy.

Canada legalised recreational cannabis federally in 2018 — here's how that framework actually works, and what Australian readers should know about the difference.

Chile sits in a genuinely unusual position in South American cannabis law. Here's how the framework actually works — and why it matters to AU readers watching global reform.

Colombia's cannabis legal framework is one of the most developed in Latin America. Here's how it actually works — and what it means for Australian readers.

Costa Rica's cannabis laws sit in a genuinely unusual place. Here's how the legal framework actually works — and what it means for Australian readers.

Croatia permits medical cannabis under a prescription framework and has decriminalised minor possession — but the details matter, and none of this is Australian law.

Cyprus has legalised medical cannabis and decriminalised personal use — but the detail matters. Here's how the framework actually works, for AU readers curious about global comparisons.

Czechia has one of Europe's most distinct cannabis legal frameworks. Here's how it actually works — and what Australian readers should know about the differences.

How cannabis is scheduled, accessed and policed in the Czech Republic — a clear-eyed look at the legal framework for Australian readers.

Denmark's cannabis framework is more layered than most people realise. Here's how the law actually works — and what it has nothing to do with Australian access.

Ecuador's cannabis laws shifted dramatically between 2015 and 2023. Here's how the legal framework actually works — and why it matters for AU readers following global reform.

Estonia keeps cannabis tightly controlled — yet has a functioning medical framework. Here's how the law actually sits, from scheduling to patient access.

Finland's cannabis framework is stricter than most people expect. Here's how the law actually works — and what it means for Australian readers watching global access evolve.

France's cannabis law sits in a complicated middle ground. Here's how the French framework actually works — and what it means for Australian readers watching from afar.

Georgia's cannabis laws are unlike almost anywhere else. Here's how the country's unusual legal framework actually works — and what it means in practice.

Germany rewrote its cannabis laws in 2024 — here's how the framework actually works, and what Australian readers should know before drawing comparisons.

Ghana's cannabis law shifted dramatically in 2020. Here's how the regulatory framework actually works — and what it means for access, cultivation, and export.

Greece has legalised medical cannabis and decriminalised personal use — but the framework differs significantly from Australian access law. Here's how it actually works.

Hungary sits at one of Europe's stricter ends on cannabis. Here's how the legal framework actually works — scheduling, penalties, and the narrow medical pathway.

Iceland sits at an unusual crossroads on cannabis law — EU-adjacent but not EU-bound. Here's how the legal framework actually works.

India's cannabis laws are older than most people realise — and far more complicated. Here's how the legal framework actually works, for AU readers.

Indonesia enforces some of the world's strictest cannabis laws. Here's how the legal framework actually works — scheduling, penalties, and what no access pathway looks like.

Ireland's cannabis access framework sits at an unusual crossroads — restrictive in law, cautious in reform. Here's how it actually works, for Australian readers.

Israel's cannabis legal framework is one of the world's most studied. Here's how the access system actually works — and what Australian readers should know.

Italy's cannabis law sits in a curious middle ground — medical access is real, the grey market is vast, and personal use exists in a legal no-man's-land. Here's how it actually works.

Jamaica's cannabis laws shifted dramatically in 2015. Here's how the framework actually works — and what it means for Australian readers watching from a distance.

Japan's cannabis laws are among the strictest in the world — and a 2023 reform changed more than most people realise. Here's what the framework actually says.

Kenya's cannabis laws are shifting fast — but the gap between what the legislation says and how it's enforced is wide. Here's how the framework actually works.

Latvia sits in an unusual spot on Europe's cannabis map — medical access exists on paper, but the practical reality is far more restrictive than most EU neighbours.

Lebanon legalised cannabis cultivation in 2020, but personal use remains illegal. Here's how the framework actually works — and what it means for AU readers.

Lesotho became the first African country to licence cannabis cultivation. Here's how its legal framework actually works — and what that means for global context.

Lithuania sits in a quiet middle ground on cannabis law — prescription access exists, but the framework is strict. Here's how it actually works.

Luxembourg became the first EU country to legalise home cannabis cultivation for adults. Here's how that framework actually works — and what it means for AU readers.

Malaysia carries some of the strictest cannabis laws in the world. Here's how the framework actually works — and what it means for Australian travellers and researchers.

Malta's cannabis law is one of Europe's more unusual experiments. Here's how the framework actually works — and what Australian readers should know.

Mexico's cannabis law has shifted dramatically since 2017. Here's how the framework actually works — and why Australian readers shouldn't conflate the two systems.

Morocco is the world's largest cannabis resin producer — yet personal use remained a criminal offence until a landmark 2021 law. Here's how the legal framework actually works.

The Netherlands runs one of the world's most studied cannabis frameworks — but it is not legalisation. Here is how the gedoogbeleid model actually works.

New Zealand's cannabis access framework differs sharply from Australia's. Here's how the Misuse of Drugs Act, medicinal schemes, and the 2020 referendum shaped NZ law.

Nigeria's cannabis law is more layered than most assume. Here's how federal scheduling, state variation, and emerging reform efforts actually sit right now.

Norway sits outside the EU but mirrors much of its drug law. Here's how cannabis is actually scheduled, accessed, and enforced there — and what that means for AU readers.

Paraguay sits at an unusual crossroads: one of South America's biggest cannabis producers by area, yet with a patchwork legal framework that still criminalises personal use.

Peru legalised medical cannabis in 2017, but the regulatory detail is genuinely complex. Here's how the framework actually works — and what it means for AU readers.

The Philippines has some of the world's harshest drug laws — yet a medical cannabis framework exists. Here's how the legal structure actually works.

Poland's medical cannabis framework has changed significantly since 2017. Here's how the law actually works — and what it means for Australian readers.

Portugal decriminalised personal drug possession in 2001 — but cannabis law there is more layered than that headline suggests. Here's what Australian readers should know.

Romania sits at an unusual crossroads in European cannabis law. Here's how the country's legal framework actually works — and what it means for AU readers watching the region.

Rwanda has built a tightly regulated export-focused cannabis industry since 2021. Here's how the legal framework actually works — and what it means for AU readers.

Singapore enforces some of the world's strictest cannabis laws. Here's how the framework actually works — and what Australian travellers need to know.

Slovakia sits in a curious middle ground on cannabis law — strict on recreation, cautious on medicine. Here's how the framework actually works.

Slovenia sits at an interesting crossroads in European cannabis law — here's how the country's framework actually works, from industrial hemp to prescription access.

South Africa's cannabis law sits in a genuinely unusual place globally. Here's how the framework actually works — and what it doesn't do.

South Korea's cannabis laws are strict and culturally distinct. Here's how the framework actually works — and what it means for Australian readers following global access trends.

Spain's cannabis legal framework is genuinely unusual — and for Australian readers used to TGA scheduling, it takes some unpacking. Here's how it actually works.

Sri Lanka's cannabis laws sit at a crossroads of colonial-era prohibition and cautious reform. Here's how the framework actually works — and what it means for AU readers.

Sweden holds one of Europe's strictest cannabis positions. Here's how the legal framework actually works — and why it matters to AU readers tracking global scheduling trends.

Switzerland's cannabis law is more layered than most headlines suggest. Here's how the framework actually works — and why it matters for Australian readers following global reform.

Thailand's cannabis laws shifted dramatically after 2022 — but the picture is complicated. Here's what the framework actually looks like, and why it matters for Australian readers.

Turkey's cannabis legal framework is stricter than many assume. Here's how cultivation, medical access, and enforcement actually work under Turkish law.

Ukraine legalised medical cannabis in 2022. Here's how the legal framework actually works — the schedules, the access rules, and what's still missing.

Cannabis law in the UK sits in a genuinely unusual place — legal for some patients, illegal for most people. Here's how the framework actually works.

Cannabis law in the United States is a patchwork of federal prohibition and state-level legalisation. Here's how the framework actually works — for Australian readers.

Uruguay made history in 2013 as the first country to fully legalise cannabis. Here's how that framework actually works — and what it means for Australian readers.

Vietnam maintains a strict prohibition on cannabis — no medical exemptions, no regulated access. Here's how the legal framework actually works.

Zimbabwe legalised industrial hemp and licensed cannabis cultivation in 2018. Here's what that framework actually looks like — and why it matters for understanding global access.