Cyprus is worth a visit for those who love scenic beaches, great weather, and tourist-friendly people! But think well ahead of planning your vacations if you are a weed lover. Find out, ‘is weed legal in Cyprus?’
Cyprus is a top travel destination across the world. Tourists often take such places as the best ones for smoking weed. But, if you are planning the same for Cyprus, then pause and read the article thoroughly.
Cyprus had stood with its very tough stance on cannabis for several decades. However, recently in 2019, the country made medical cannabis legal, yet recreational cannabis legalizations seem a little far away.
Do you want to know more? Have a read to the article.
Cyprus cannabis: Drug laws, Legal status, and more!
Contents
Current Legal Status:
Medical Marijuana: Legal
Recreational Marijuana: Illegal
Smoking in public is a forbidden and punishable offense. You cannot sell or grow cannabis in Cyprus as well. However, possession for medical needs is not acceptable.
Drug Laws in Cyprus:
In Cyprus, Drugs are classified into three categories. Class A, Class B, and Class C drugs. Cannabis comes under class B drug. In 1977, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law defined cannabis as a Class B drug. Class A defines the most harmful drugs and class C the least ones. However, drug use and possession punishments are for all classes.
The Cyprus Drug law defines penalties and punishments per class and amount of the drug.
Let’s take the laws in detail.
Laws for possession of weed: The Psychotropic Substances Law
Personal possession is a serious criminal offense, and the subject has to face aggravating circumstances for the crime. Remember, drug addiction for recreational use is not taken lightly in Cyprus. There are harsh prison sentences for the personal use of cannabis. Penalties for possession depend upon the type and amount of cannabis found. The penalties are as follows.
- Class C drugs: Upto four years imprisonment
- While Class B drugs: Up to Eight years imprisonment
- Class A Drugs: Up to 12 years imprisonment
There was a change made by the legislators that set limitations for the possession of marijuana in 2003. According to this, if someone possesses up to three marijuana plants, 30 grams of dried weed or pot-based items, and ten grams of cocaine, opium is no longer a felony. However, in such cases, the offender has to pay some fine, and jail punishment is repealed completely.
A first-time minor first offender who is less than 25 years old or young adults don’t get sentences longer than one year of jail time. Furthermore, judges can opt for sentencing some alternative punishments for the youthful first-time drug wrongdoers. Instead of sending them to jail, they usually asked for some communal services and some mental therapies or paid the reduced fine. If it is his first offense and he shows an apologetic attitude, then the judge may also send him to a detox center for a 6-month rehabilitation program.
Laws for selling weed or drug trafficking:
Drug dealing is an offense that draws along time jail sentences. The legislation says that-
- Selling or dealing with class C medications might draw in punishment of as long as eight years of detainment while dealing with class A or B medications might draw in sentences of up to life imprisonment.
- However, no lifetime jail sentence has been reported to date!
Nevertheless, a 2016 regulation permits medical marijuana patients (if they are not indulged in drug supply) to be qualified for treatment as an option instead of being condemned to jail.
Laws and penalties for cultivation purposes:
Recently in 2019, the cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes got officially approved by the government vote.
However, growing weed for recreational purposes remains illegal.
The Narcotic and psychotropic substances law issues licenses for regulatory checks for cultivation.
CBD Products’ legal status:
CBD products containing up to 0.2 % of THC are legal in Cyprus. These are available as edibles, cannabis-infused food items, lotions, cremes, cannabis oil, etc. Notwithstanding, a seller can not mention the health benefits of such products.
Medicinal Cannabis: is the Medical cannabis law legalizing weed for the future?
Legislators in Cyprus passed a new medical cannabis law regulating weed cultivation for clinical purposes and domestic use in February 2019.
Before the law of 2019 came into existence, patients who were looking for medical use of cannabis medicines needed consent from the practitioner, which implied a great deal of desk work and significant delays in obtaining cannabis.
The new regulation made the import of cannabis seeds and cannabis plants for development purposes lawful and managed the most common way of acquiring weed cultivating licenses.
According to the law,
Cypriots can get their marijuana drug straightforwardly from the drug store, utilizing a medicine from an expert doctor like the specialist. Most individuals looking for weed therapies in Cyprus experience the ill effects of the disease, cancer patients, or epilepsy. Medical use of cannabis is also for those experiencing HIV and neurological circumstances.
Cyprus is blessed with the perfect and ideal climatic conditions for the development of marijuana plants. The country has a comparative advantage of its awesome weather. Cyprus is blessed with long periods of sunshine. Thus as per a survey, Cyprus can create £204 million (about €227 million) worth of clinical pot every year. This money is more than the countries like Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, and other countries which produce medical cannabis every year.
As of now, even after the new medical cannabis law legalizing medical cannabis in Cyprus, Cypriot patients likewise need to manage the disgrace encompassing pot utilization as doctors hardly recommend medicinal cannabis. The reason is that the Specialists have doubts about the advantages of weed medicines and thus, don’t prescribe them in general.
Weed Culture in Cyprus:
Like in other countries, cannabis consumption in Cyprus is the highest among young adults. Yet it is the lowest as compared to other countries. Approximately 4-5% of people smoked marijuana in 2019.
However, smoking marijuana in public is highly intolerant in Cyprus. If a person is found guilty, they will be taken to the local police station and face minor interrogation and full confession. They will ask you to pay a huge fine if you are a minor first offender. And if you are caught with larger quantities, then jail time is for you.
Will Cyprus make cannabis legal?
Cyprus has made medical cannabis legal. However, cannabis use for recreational use seems to have a long journey to conquer.
As mentioned that cannabis smoking may immediately cause trouble for you; cannabis for recreational purposes is still a dream in Cyprus.
Considering everything, the government agreed that cannabis cultivation could bring a lot of revenue to the country as they are blessed with such a climate. Therefore, they made the growing of medical cannabis plants legal with some regulation.
Still, the law is very strict regarding the personal use of cannabis. Hence, the people of Cyprus must wait until Cyprus makes weed legal for personal use with medical use.
FAQs:
Can I smoke freely in Cyprus?
Not. Don’t even try. The cops will surely get you, and you may face harsh consequences.
What would cannabis cost me in Cyprus?
Cannabis is more expensive in Cyprus than US, Canada, and many other countries. You may have to pay 20-30 pounds per gram.
Where can I find cannabis in Cyprus?
In Cyprus, you will not get cannabis without the help of a local person. So, try to befriend someone and enjoy your premises only.
The summary:
Taking everything into consideration, we know that medical cannabis is available in Cyprus, yet personal use is strictly a No-No thing in the country. This Island nation doesn’t welcome people who smoke publicly and put harsh penalties on them.
Therefore, as we do not encourage or recommend you to smoke weed in countries where it is illegal, we would rather say that you enjoy the island’s beauty. It is more addictive and peaceful than that weed.
However, if you still want drugs to be your fellow on your trip, stay within your limits and never try to breach the law. Collect beautiful memories of such a blessed place!
