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 mixes tolerated personal possession, a regulated medical programme and no legal adult-use market. Here is how it works in practice.

Cannabis law in Bolivia explained: Law 1008, the 2022 medical carve-out under Law 1388, hemp thresholds and treaty obligations, in plain terms.

Cannabis law in Brazil is more layered than the headlines suggest. See how ANVISA's rules work and why none of it changes Australian law or access pathways.

Bulgarian cannabis law explained: Schedule I status, the narrow medical import pathway, hemp rules and the CBD grey zone, for comparative education only.

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

Cannabis law in Chile explained: how ISP authorisation, Law 20.000 and the 2022 reforms fit together, and why it matters to Australian readers.

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.

Cannabis law in the Czech Republic explained: classification, decriminalised personal possession, medical access and reform proposals, for Australian readers.

Cannabis law in Denmark is more layered than most people realise. See how the pilot, hemp rules and enforcement fit together, for Australian readers.

Cannabis law in Ecuador moved from decriminalisation to a licensed medicinal regime. Here is how the framework works and what it means for Australian readers.

Estonian cannabis law explained: how the NDPSP Act schedules cannabis, what the medical pathway allows, where CBD sits, and how penalties work.

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 cannabis law explained: the narcotic baseline, the CBD grey zone, the medical pilot 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.

Cannabis law in Germany explained: what the 2024 KCanG allows, how medical access works, and why Australian readers should be careful with comparisons.

Ghana cannabis law changed in 2020 with Act 1019. See how licensing, medical access, export and personal-use penalties actually work in practice today.

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.

Cannabis law in Iceland is stricter than many expect: EEA but not EU, no medical programme, and a grey zone for CBD. Here is how the framework works.

Cannabis law in India turns on the NDPS Act 1985 and a split between flowering tops, resin, leaves and seeds. A plain guide for Australian readers.

Cannabis law in Indonesia explained: Golongan I classification, statutory penalties, rehabilitation provisions and why no medical access pathway exists.

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 law explained: what the 2015 amendment decriminalised, how the CLA licenses the industry, and what it means for Australian readers.

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.

Cannabis law in Lithuania permits prescription medicines but prohibits recreational use. Here is how the strict framework works, and why access stays narrow.

Luxembourg's cannabis law lets adults grow plants at home but bans retail sales. Here is how the framework works and what it means for Australian readers.

Cannabis law in Malaysia is among the strictest worldwide. How the Dangerous Drugs Act works and what it means for Australian travellers and researchers.

Malta's cannabis law legalised adult possession and home growing in 2021. See how clubs, medical access and CBD rules work, and what it means in Australia.

Mexico's cannabis law shifted after 2017 reform and Supreme Court rulings. See how the framework works and why it differs from Australia's system.

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. See how federal scheduling, state variation and reform efforts fit together as of mid-2025.

Cannabis law in Norway explained: how cannabis is scheduled, how medical access works, and how enforcement plays out, with notes for Australian 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 protects private adult use but creates no legal market. Here is how the framework works, and what it does not do for readers.

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 law rests on a colonial-era ordinance, with no medical pathway and no hemp reform enacted. Here is how the framework works for AU readers.

Sweden's cannabis law is among the strictest in Europe. See how the framework classifies cannabis, CBD, hemp and medical access, from an Australian view.

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.

Cannabis law in Uruguay explained: how Law 19.172 sets up a state-run market, who can access it, and why it does not apply to 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.