Is Weed Legal in Iceland?

Cannabis is illegal in Iceland for all non-medical purposes under the Narcotic Drugs Act (Log nr. 65/1974) and the implementing Regulation No. 233/2001, which lists cannabis, THC, and cannabis resin as controlled substances. Cultivation, sale, import, and possession are criminal offenses. In practice, possession of small personal-use amounts is handled administratively by police with on-the-spot fines rather than custodial sentences, while trafficking and cultivation carry prison terms of up to 12 years under Article 173a of the General Penal Code.

Police guidelines treat possession under roughly 1 gram of cannabis resin or under approximately 3 grams of herbal cannabis as a minor first-offense matter, typically resulting in fines starting around ISK 70,000-100,000. Repeat offenses, larger quantities (commonly cited thresholds: 30g herbal / 10g resin trigger heavier charges), or evidence of intent to sell escalate to prosecution. Medical cannabis access exists only through narrow exemption permits issued by Lyfjastofnun for licensed pharmaceutical products such as Sativex and Epidyolex; no domestic medical cannabis program, no dispensaries, and no decriminalization reform has passed the Althingi as of May 2026.