Bulgaria
Is Weed Legal in Bulgaria?
Status
Illegal
Covers
Jurisdiction
Last updated
May 29, 2026
The short answer
Cannabis is illegal for recreational and medical use in Bulgaria. The Law on Control of Narcotic Substances and Precursors (Zakon za kontrol varhu narkotichnite veshtestva i prekursorite, ZKNVP) classifies cannabis as a Schedule I substance, and Articles 354a and 354c of the Bulgarian Penal Code criminalize cultivation, distribution, and possession. The Ministry of Interior's General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) and the Bulgarian Drug Agency under the Ministry of Health share regulatory authority.
Bulgaria does not formally recognize a personal-use possession threshold. Article 354a paragraph 5 allows judges to impose a fine of up to 1,000 leva for insignificant quantities, but this remains a criminal conviction. Standard possession draws 1 to 6 years' imprisonment and fines of 2,000 to 10,000 leva. Trafficking and cultivation attract 3 to 12 years under aggravating circumstances. Bulgaria stands among the EU's stricter cannabis regimes - there is no medical cannabis program, in contrast to neighboring Greece and Romania.
This is regulatory information, not legal advice. Bulgarian courts have applied Article 354a inconsistently to first-time minor offenses. Consult a Bulgarian advokat before relying on judicial discretion for personal-use quantities.
Key facts ·
Bulgaria
Key facts
Rules at a glance
THC limit
Not applicable - all THC content prohibited
Regulator
Bulgarian Drug Agency (Izpalnitelna agentsiya po lekarstvata); Ministry of Interior - GDBOP; Ministry of Health
Key regulation
Law on Control of Narcotic Substances and Precursors (ZKNVP, SG 30/1999, amended); Bulgarian Penal Code Articles 354a, 354c
Effective
April 9, 1999
Adult-use cannabis
Illegal
Medical cannabis
Illegal
For brands and importers
Import and export rules
Cannabis import and export are prohibited. The Bulgarian Customs Agency coordinates with GDBOP on interdiction. The Bulgarian Drug Agency has not licensed medical cannabis imports.
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