56 cities · 63 rules
Same Substance, Different Continent of Consequences
Carry 25 grams of cannabis through a Berlin park and you are exercising a legal right. Cross a few borders to Budapest with the same amount and you face up to two years in prison. This is Europe in 2026.
The Legal Frontier
Germany rewrote Europe's drug map in April 2024. Adults can now possess up to 25g in public and 50g at home. Cannabis social clubs are operational in Berlin and Hamburg, though Bavaria has been characteristically slow to embrace the change. Munich operates under the same federal law, but the conservative state government ensures enforcement feels noticeably different.
Germany is the only EU country where you can legally grow three cannabis plants in your apartment.
The Decriminalized Middle Ground
Portugal pioneered this approach in 2001, decriminalizing all drugs — not just cannabis. In Lisbon and Porto, possession of up to 25g means a referral to a Dissuasion Commission, not a jail cell. Italy treats personal use as an administrative matter: in Florence, Rome and Naples you will not go to prison for a small amount, but you may lose your driver's licence. Prague takes a particularly relaxed view — up to 15g is a misdemeanour, rarely prosecuted. Bruges allows up to 3g with a fine only, and Ljubljana treats small amounts so leniently that growing a single plant is effectively not prosecuted.
The Paradox of Tolerance
Amsterdam's coffee shops are the world's most famous example of a policy that is simultaneously illegal and institutional. Tourists can buy up to 5g with valid ID at Amsterdam's licensed shops, but lighting up in public is illegal. Rotterdam follows the same gedoogbeleid with fewer crowds and identical rules. Barcelona and Ibiza operate private cannabis clubs where members can consume in a controlled setting; tourists can join some clubs with a sponsor, but public use carries fines.
In Budapest, the same joint that's legal in Berlin could mean years in prison.
Where the Law Has No Mercy
Hungary draws the hardest line in Europe. Budapest makes no distinction between cannabis and heroin in its legal framework: any amount is a criminal offence carrying up to two years in prison. Krakow operates under Polish law that prescribes up to three years for possession. Athens can impose fines and potential imprisonment, and the Croatian cities of Dubrovnik, Split and Hvar impose fines and potential criminal charges for small amounts. Paris presents a peculiar case — France has the highest cannabis use rate in Europe despite a ban, and since 2020 police issue a €200 on-the-spot fine. Copenhagen has cracked down on Christiania's open market, and Edinburgh treats cannabis as a Class B drug with penalties of up to five years.
Every city at a glance
Generated from each city page, so it never drifts from them. Sorted by the highest figure the city publishes for this category.
Frequently asked questions
Is cannabis legal in Europe?
Only in Germany, and only within limits: adults may possess 25g in public and 50g at home since April 2024. Portugal decriminalised all drugs in 2001, which is not the same thing — possession is still unlawful, it is just handled administratively. Everywhere else it ranges from tolerated to a prison sentence.
Can tourists buy cannabis in Amsterdam?
Yes, up to 5g at a licensed coffee shop with valid ID. Amsterdam has not adopted the residents-only rule some Dutch cities use. Consuming it in the street is a separate offence, and the city fines it.
Which European city has the harshest drug laws?
Budapest. Hungarian law makes no distinction between cannabis and heroin, so any amount is a criminal offence carrying up to two years. Poland is close behind at up to three years for possession.
What happens if I am caught with cannabis in Spain?
Private consumption is not an offence, but using or carrying it in a street, a bar or on public transport is a serious administrative infraction under LO 4/2015 — €601 to €30,000. Barcelona's cannabis social clubs are legal for members; the street outside them is not.
Is CBD legal across Europe?
Broadly yes where THC content is below the national threshold, but the threshold and the paperwork differ by country, and border officials are not obliged to take a bottle's label at face value. Carrying it between countries is where problems start.