Is Weed Legal in Cuba?

Recreational and medical marijuana are illegal in Cuba. The country runs one of the strictest drug control regimes in the Caribbean, and no decriminalization threshold exists for personal possession. Tourists receive the same treatment as Cuban citizens, and consular intervention is limited once charges are filed.

Cuba's Penal Code (Law No. 151 of 2022, which replaced Law No. 62 of 1987 and entered into force on December 1, 2022) treats narcotics offenses as serious crimes. Simple possession typically carries six months to two years of imprisonment plus fines, while cultivation, production, or transit of significant quantities is punishable by four to twenty years. Cross-border trafficking exposes defendants to sentences of fifteen to thirty years, and aggravated cases retain the death penalty on paper, though it is commuted in practice. The Ministry of Interior leads enforcement through the National Anti-Drug Directorate.

No medical cannabis program exists. No clinical trials are authorized, and pharmacies do not stock cannabinoid medicines such as Sativex or Epidyolex.

Last reviewed: August 6, 2026.

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