Is Weed Legal in Belize?
May 29, 2026
Belize decriminalized possession of up to 10g of cannabis on private premises in 2017. Sale, cultivation, and import remain illegal. The 2022 legalization bill is paused.
Belize decriminalized possession of up to 10g of cannabis on private premises in 2017. Sale, cultivation, and import remain illegal. The 2022 legalization bill is paused.
Cannabis is decriminalized in Belize only for possession of up to 10 grams on private premises with the owner's permission. Everything else, including sale, cultivation, public use, import, and export, remains a criminal offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
The shift came with the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act, No. 47 of 2017, which removed criminal penalties for small private possession but stopped well short of legalization. A follow-on bill, the Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Control and Licensing Bill 2022, cleared both houses of the National Assembly and would have authorized a licensed adult-use market. It was never enacted. A church-led signature drive forced the government to pause the bill pending a national referendum, and in July 2022 the referendum itself was shelved over its estimated BZ$5 million cost. The bill remains parked with the legislature as of 2026.
Police continue to enforce the existing framework. Trafficking, public smoking, and possession above 10 grams still draw fines, charges, or jail time, and foreign medical cards carry no weight at the border or in the street.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Verify current law with qualified counsel before making compliance decisions.
Decriminalized
Ministry of Health and Wellness; National Drug Abuse Control Council (NDACC); Belize Police Department
Not specified; 10g possession threshold applies regardless of THC content
Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act, No. 47 of 2017; Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Control and Licensing Bill 2022 (passed but not enacted)
Import and export of cannabis are prohibited. The Belize Customs and Excise Department lists cannabis among restricted and prohibited goods, and bringing any quantity across the border is treated as drug trafficking under the Misuse of Drugs Act. The 10-gram decriminalization threshold applies only to private possession inside Belize and provides no defense at ports of entry.
