Is Weed Legal in Colombia?

Colombia decriminalized personal cannabis possession decades ago and legalized medical use in 2016, but commercial recreational sales remain prohibited. Adults may carry up to 20 grams of cannabis or 1 gram of hashish for personal use without criminal penalty, a threshold enshrined in Article 2 of Law 30 of 1986 and reinforced by Constitutional Court ruling C-221 of 1994.

The medical framework rests on Law 1787 of 2016, signed July 6, 2016, which authorized the cultivation, manufacture, export, and medical use of cannabis and its derivatives. Decree 613 of 2017 operationalized the law, splitting licensing between the Ministerio de Justicia y del Derecho (cultivation of psychoactive plants, seed use) and the Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social (manufacture of derivatives). Decree 811 of 2021 expanded the framework to authorize export of dried flower and finished products, transforming Colombia into one of the largest legal medical cannabis exporters in Latin America. Recreational legalization stalled in Congress, with a constitutional amendment backed by the Petro government sunk in the Senate plenary in May 2024.

Public consumption in parks, schools, and near minors remains punishable by police-code fines under Law 1801 of 2016, with sanctions running roughly 380,000 COP for a Type 4 infraction.

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