Bulgaria

Is Weed Legal in Bulgaria?

Status

Illegal

Covers

Cannabis / Marijuana

Jurisdiction

EU Member State

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

All countries

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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