Is Weed Legal in Cape Verde?

Recreational marijuana is illegal in Cape Verde. Lei n.º 78/IV/93 (Law No. 78/IV/93, the Drug Trafficking and Consumption Act) and Decreto-Lei n.º 28/2012 establish cannabis as a controlled substance regulated by the Comissão de Coordenação do Álcool e das Drogas (CCAD), the inter-ministerial drug coordination commission under the Ministry of Justice.

Possession for personal use of small quantities (the prosecutorial threshold is roughly 25 grams of dried plant material under CCAD guidance reflecting Portuguese-model jurisprudence) triggers an administrative referral to the Comissão de Dissuasão da Toxicodependência (CDT) for evaluation and possible treatment-oriented sanctions, not criminal conviction. Larger quantities, sale, and trafficking remain criminal under Lei 78/IV/93 with sentences from 4 to 15 years prosecuted at the Tribunal Judicial da Comarca da Praia. The Polícia Judiciária Drug Enforcement Unit and the Polícia Nacional screen arrivals at Nelson Mandela International Airport (Praia) and Amilcar Cabral International Airport (Sal), with the West African archipelago noted by UNODC as a transit point for Latin American cocaine routes that also surface cannabis interceptions.

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