Places That Every Cannatourist Should Visit
Traveling and smoking weed go great together, especially when it’s a scenic location. There’s nothing better than looking out at a gorgeous landscape that you’ve never seen before and lighting up. If you haven’t ever smoked a bowl or ripped a joint on vacation you’re missing out, and it’s something you need to try. That said, marijuana laws are very in flux from place to place so you need to be careful about where you smoke. This is particularly important if you are planning on traveling outside of the United States. This guide will help with that as it points out the most weed-friendly countries that you should smoke in.
Places to Avoid
Before getting into places that are absolutely weed-friendly, it’s worth pointing out some places that need to be avoided by stoners. We can’t possibly cover all of the countries that are inbetweeners, meaning they don’t approve of or hate marijuana, and that’s why it’s important to at least know the ones that hate it so you can avoid them. Firstly, avoid the Middle East. Most Middle Eastern countries have laws in place that are more conservative, and this does not bode well for marijuana consumption. Lebanon recently made medical marijuana legal but that’s it, and even in Lebanon it’s illegal to use recreationally. You don’t want to take your chances smoking in private in the middle east either, as there can be harsh punishments. Plus the paranoia you would subject yourself to wouldn’t be worth it. Aside from the Middle East also avoid China, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Ukraine. A few of these countries may be surprising but nonetheless, these are not weed-friendly countries.
Weed Friendly Countries Throughout the World
Chile
Chile is a great place to travel for those who don’t want to give up weed while they’re abroad. Weed is decriminalized in chile and you can have up to 10 grams on you at any given time. This is surely enough to get blazed a few times during the course of your vacation. So long as you don’t have a boatload of marijuana on you, you will be fine to smoke weed in chile. Chile has also legalized medical marijuana, further adding to the narrative that it is a weed-friendly country. Chile has many beautiful scenic places to smoke including famous mountains and national parks, but the most unique destination in Chile is surely Easter Island. Easter Island is already a mysterious place, so seeing it while you’re high will only add to the craziness!
Jamaica
You can’t have a list of weed-friendly countries and not include Jamaica. Jamaica has long been known for not only allowing weed but promoting it as part of Jamaican culture. You’d have to be living under a rock to have never heard of any Jamaican marijuana stereotypes. You can legally possess up to 2 ounces of weed, more than you will ever need for traveling abroad. You can also grow up to five of your own plants.
North Korea
Probably the most shocking country on the list, but North Korea is actually quite liberal when it comes to weed. Cannabis is mostly accepted in North Korea and Kim Jong Un’s regime doesn’t even consider marijuana to be a drug. All of that said, it’s probably not a great place to visit right now.
South Africa
South Africa is the 4th most prolific cannabis-producing country in the world. The South African government has gone far to protect the rights of those who wish to grow marijuana stating that any law disallowing the cultivation of marijuana is unconstitutional. There is no limit to the amount of weed you can have on you. As long as you smoke in a private dwelling, there are no other rules or concerns you face. South Africa is home to some of the most exotic animals in the world and because of this, they offer a plethora of great safaris. Imagine getting as high as you’ve ever been and then going out to look at lions, zebras, and gazelles.
Spain
Spain is known for their epic party and rager scene, this is a country that knows how to have a good time. And for that reason, it’s no surprise to see them as a weed-friendly country. Spain's neighbor, Portugal, is also pretty liberal with its marijuana laws. In fact, Portugal was the first country to officially decriminalize the herb. Like in South Africa, as long as you smoke in a private dwelling you will have no trouble. Weed is not allowed to be seen in public and if you’re cultivating weed it should not be able to be seen from the road. Spain has also even hosted cannabis events such as the Spannabis Cup.
Uruguay
A less visited country, Uruguay, is a great place for stoners to set sail to. The last Uruguayan President even said he wanted Uruguay to be the world leader in cannabis research. Both possession of marijuana and cultivation is legal and no specific amounts are mentioned within the laws. That said, if you want to cultivate marijuana you must register your practice with the government. On top of that, it’s clear in the law that no one is allowed to sell to consumers other than the government.
United States
The United States rounds out our list of the most weed-friendly countries in the world. Understand that the U.S. is a huge place and the rules vary from state to state, but still, overall is it extremely liberal with its marijuana laws compared to the rest of the world. Even in the states where marijuana is illegal, enforcement of the law is rare. As of right now, a total of 39 states have legalized marijuana in some manner, and that doesn’t include Washington DC, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands — which have all legalized weed. For recreational use, 19 of the 50 states have legalized the herb, and more appear to be on their way to legalizing weed in the coming years.
