Is Weed Legal in Argentina?

Recreational marijuana is decriminalized for private personal use in Argentina, and medical access runs through a formal patient registry. The Supreme Court's 2009 Arriola ruling held that punishing private personal possession by an adult is unconstitutional, and Law 23.737 (the Narcotics Law) remains the operative statute. Although the law still criminalizes possession on its face, prosecutors and courts generally follow Arriola for small private-use quantities.

Public consumption, possession near schools, and quantities suggesting trafficking remain criminal under Law 23.737 Articles 14 and 5, with sentences ranging from one month to four years for personal-use cases and four to fifteen years for trafficking. The Federal Police, Gendarmeria Nacional, and provincial forces enforce these provisions. Law 27.350 (2017) created the Cannabis Program Registry (REPROCANN), administered by the Ministry of Health and the National Administration of Drugs, Food and Medical Devices (ANMAT), allowing registered patients and authorized cultivators to legally grow and possess cannabis for therapeutic use.

The Milei administration tightened REPROCANN cultivation rules in May 2025, but patient rights to access and self-cultivate continue. There is no recreational retail market.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Verify current law with qualified counsel before making compliance decisions.