Is Weed Legal in Portugal?
May 29, 2026
Portugal decriminalized cannabis possession under Law 30/2000 (up to a 10-day supply). Medical cannabis is INFARMED-regulated. Full legal status, THC rules, and citations.
Portugal decriminalized cannabis possession under Law 30/2000 (up to a 10-day supply). Medical cannabis is INFARMED-regulated. Full legal status, THC rules, and citations.
Portugal decriminalized personal cannabis possession in 2001. Recreational sale and cultivation remain criminal offenses. Medical cannabis is legal and dispensed through licensed pharmacies under INFARMED oversight.
Law 30/2000, which took effect on July 1, 2001, removed criminal penalties for possession of any controlled substance held for personal use. The threshold for cannabis is roughly a 10-day individual supply — interpreted in practice as about 25 grams of herbal cannabis or 5 grams of hashish. Anyone caught within that limit is referred to a Commission for the Dissuasion of Drug Addiction (CDT) administered by SICAD, which can impose treatment, fines, or warnings rather than prosecution. Possession above the threshold, trafficking, and cultivation for sale stay punishable under Decree-Law 15/93.
The medical program runs on a separate track. Decree-Law 8/2019 of January 15 and Ordinance 83/2021 of April 15 set the licensing and prescription framework, and INFARMED authorizes every cultivator, manufacturer, importer, and exporter. Portugal has become one of Europe's largest medical cannabis exporters, with GMP-certified operations supplying Germany, Australia, and other regulated markets. Patients access dried flower and standardized preparations by medical prescription at community pharmacies.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Verify current law with qualified counsel before making compliance decisions.
Decriminalized
INFARMED (Autoridade Nacional do Medicamento e Produtos de Saúde); SICAD for decriminalization enforcement
No THC cap on medical cannabis preparations authorized by INFARMED
Law 30/2000; Decree-Law 8/2019; Ordinance 83/2021
Import and export of medical cannabis require prior INFARMED authorization on a shipment-by-shipment basis, in line with Portugal's obligations under the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Licensed operators must hold an INFARMED activity license for cultivation, manufacture, wholesale, or trade, and each cross-border movement needs a corresponding import or export permit issued by the agency. Shipments destined for other EU member states still require INFARMED clearance plus a matching authorization from the receiving country's competent authority. Recreational import is prohibited and treated as trafficking under Decree-Law 15/93.
