Is Weed Legal in Venezuela?

Last reviewed: August 6, 2026.

Recreational and medical cannabis are illegal in Venezuela. The Organic Law on Drugs (Ley Organica de Drogas), enacted in 2010 and replacing the 2005 statute, classifies cannabis as a controlled substance and prohibits cultivation, sale, transport, and possession outside narrow research carve-outs that have produced no commercial framework. The National Anti-Drug Office (Oficina Nacional Antidrogas, ONA) sits under the Ministry of Interior and coordinates enforcement alongside the Bolivarian National Guard.

Possession over 20 grams of cannabis flower triggers trafficking-grade penalties of 8 to 12 years' imprisonment. Personal-use amounts below that threshold are not formally decriminalized; judges retain discretion to order mandatory rehabilitation under Article 131, but criminal records still attach. Cultivation of any quantity carries 12 to 18 years and asset forfeiture. The currency for fines is the bolivar, though prosecutions almost always emphasize custodial sentences over financial penalties given economic instability.

This summary reflects publicly available legislation and does not constitute legal advice. Travelers and residents should consult Venezuelan counsel before relying on any interpretation; enforcement at airports and checkpoints by the GNB has historically been aggressive.