Top 10 Countries Where You Can Smoke Weed

Cannabis-friendly countries, which nations may be categorized as such? The answer is never simple. Due to law reforms and legal grey areas, we can never be exactly sure if the country we are planning to visit is tolerant of recreational and/or medical cannabis consumption. At the time of writing this article, we did our best to create a list of countries that are hospitable to cannabis users, some more so than others. For this compilation, we not only focused on the most cannabis-friendly countries in Europe, but we rather created a rundown of the world's top 10 countries to visit for the traveling cannabis aficionado!

Traveling with cannabis across borders is never a great idea. You may have it hidden well in a secret stash, but this always comes with great risk. This, however, does not mean that you will not be able to get your hands on some local weed and enjoy it! Rolling the perfect joint with some Jamaican Dream weed, gazing out over Montego Bay, would honestly be a dream come true! Have a look at our list below, and plan your next stoner-friendly vacay!

10. Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Cambodians don’t really seem to care if you’re stoned, and weed is pretty damned easy to get hold of. Just keep in mind that it is actually illegal, however, nothing a little bribe can’t fix. Just don’t venture into neighboring Thailand with your weed, it could wind you up in jail.

9. Kingston, Jamaica

Jamaica is the origin of one of the most prolific cannabis cultural icons – the Rasta. Cannabis plays a central part of the Rastafarian religion, and it has become ubiquitous with Jamaica’s stunning scenery and laid back attitude. The Jamaican Government has also just moved to decriminalize possession of small amounts, making it much easier for the cannabis globetrotter to get high in paradise.

8. Christiana, Denmark

Cannabis is technically illegal in Denmark; but Christiana, a commune in the centre of Copenhagen, has declared itself an independent entity – so it is kind of OK. They have their very own “Green Light District”, a farmers market that sells some of the finest weed, hash, brownies, and other marijuana derivatives in the region. Thanks to their ‘no hard drugs’ policy, the residents of Christiana are pretty much left to themselves; just bear in mind that the authorities of Denmark do consider it to be illegal, and like to have a little foray into Christiana, in the form of a police raid, on a rare occasion.

7. Cusco, Peru

The perfect place to stop by for a cheeky joint before moving onto the wonders of Machu Picchu, Cusco has a very forward thinking attitude to small amounts of pot. As long as you are not carrying too much, you will largely be left alone by the police. Bear in mind though that it is a criminal offence to carry more than one type of drug, and the police are pretty strict – so make sure you know what is what.

6. The Czech Republic

The Czechs have a pretty good way of looking at things. They have some of the most forward thinking, liberal drug laws in Europe. Just about everything is decriminalized, as long as you are not holding too much. You can get away with having up to 14 grams of cannabis on your person before it becomes a serious offense – anything below this will simply be confiscated. So whilst you can’t walk the streets smoking your beloved MJ, and it would be a real bummer to have your stash confiscated, the Czech Republic is somewhat of a marijuana smoker’s haven.

5. Toronto (and Vancouver), Canada

Much like the Czech Republic, Canada has a reasonably liberal view when it comes to cannabis. Although it is illegal to possess cannabis unless you are also holding a medical certificate, the police generally turn a blind eye as long as you don’t have more than 7 grams. So as long as you play it cool and play it smart, you should be fine.

4. Nimbin, Australia

Home to the annual MadiGrass festival, Nimbin is a small Australian mountain town that was settled in by hippies on the 60’s. It has since flourished as a proverbial pot town, and is a popular holiday destination for stoners looking to kick back and relax in the hot Australian sun.

3. Barcelona, Spain

Annual hosts of Spannabis and High Life Expo, Barcelona is one of the ultimate holiday destination for stoners looking to enjoy the sunny sights of Spain. Weed is technically illegal, but well tolerated as long as you are smart and just consume inside the numerous cannabis clubs. Most clubs operate within the bounds of the law and accept foreign members. You can also often get away with smoking on Barcelona’s sandy beaches, and many of its hawkers will be more than happy to sell you a little MJ. Just bear in mind, that although possession is decriminalized, using it in public isn’t.

2. Denver, Colorado

Denver is the biggest city in the first US state to fully legalize the recreational use of marijuana, and as such, has become the weed mecca of the USA. As long as you are over 21 and have ID, you can purchase up to 7 grams of weed. It is only legal to smoke on private property with the permission of the property owner, so don’t go waltzing down the street with a joint in your mouth.

1. Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The most famous destination of them all, and our hometown, Amsterdam is the legendary holiday destination that every true stoner hears about and must visit at some point in their life. It is the centre of cannabis culture, and a site of regular pilgrimage for many. Amsterdam has over 200 coffeeshops, all with their own green menu, so you will be spoiled for choice! Cannabis is technically illegal in the Netherlands, but is accepted under a policy of tolerance. As long as you do not carry more than 5 grams in public, it’s no problem.

There you have it! As you can see, there are many places all across the globe that welcome the traveling pot smoker. Just bear in mind that in many of these places, it is still technically illegal, but as long as you are not silly about it, you will find there are a lot of good times to be had!

Luke Sumpter

With a BSc (Hons) degree in Clinical Health Sciences and a passion for growing plants, Luke Sumpter has worked as a professional journalist and writer at the intersection of cannabis and science for the past 7 years.

Read full bio