Is Weed Legal in Costa Rica?

Medical cannabis is legal in Costa Rica under Law 10113, signed in March 2022 by then-President Carlos Alvarado. The Ministerio de Salud regulates medical cannabis products and prescriptions, while MAG oversees cultivation licensing. Patients require a prescription from a licensed physician registered with the Colegio de Medicos.

Recreational adult use remains illegal under Law 8204 (Ley sobre Estupefacientes), but Costa Rica has no statutory minimum threshold for personal possession. The Sala Constitucional has long held that personal consumption is not punishable, leaving enforcement to prosecutorial discretion. In practice, small quantities (commonly cited as under 8 grams) rarely result in prosecution, though anything suggesting intent to sell triggers trafficking charges carrying 8 to 15 years imprisonment and fines from CRC 500,000 to CRC 50 million (roughly USD 950 to USD 95,000).

As of 2026, the medical program has moved past its slow rollout phase. The Ministerio de Salud issued the first commercial cultivation licenses in late 2023, and domestic production of medical cannabis derivatives began reaching pharmacies in 2024-2025. Dispensary-style retail does not exist; products are dispensed through licensed pharmacies with prescription. Reform bills to legalize adult use have been introduced in the Asamblea Legislativa but none have advanced to a floor vote.