Medical: legal
Recreational: decriminalized, legalization introduced
Luxembourg is in the midst of creating a legal recreational cannabis program. Plans were first announced in 2018 and a draft of the legislation was released to the public in June 2022. The proposed law would allow residents to cultivate up to four plants and consume at home, but public consumption remains illegal.
Medical cannabis has been legal in Luxembourg since 2018.
Cannabis in Luxembourg
When Luxembourg announced plans to legalize cannabis in 2018, it was set to become the first European country to do so. Delays in the process of doing so meant the country of Malta beat it to the finish line.
Proposed regulations were introduced in 2022. These are different than the government’s original promise of creating a legal market for buying and selling cannabis but would allow residents over 18 to grow up to four plants per household. Public consumption is still illegal.
People would also be allowed to purchase cannabis seeds online or in stores, but buying and selling the plant itself is still illegal. The legislation still needs to pass in the country’s Parliament and is considered the first stage of cannabis legalization. The second stage would include building a legal framework for buying and selling cannabis, but this isn’t expected for several years.
Cannabis is the most commonly consumed illegal drug in Luxembourg, with 1/3 of young adults reporting trying it.
Possible penalties
In 2001, the country decriminalized personal cannabis use and possession, which are typically punishable by a fine.
Under the new proposed regulation, people caught carrying three grams or less will face a misdemeanor charge (rather than a criminal one) and have to pay a fine between €25 – 500. Carrying over three grams is still considered drug trafficking, which carries criminal charges.
Medical marijuana in Luxembourg
Medical marijuana has been legal in Luxembourg since 2018. Patients must have a condition approved for cannabis to treat and can get a prescription through any physician who has specific training. Prescriptions can be filled at hospitals. Medication is in the form of an oil or capsules.
CBD regulations
CBD is legal in Luxembourg and you can find products for sale throughout the country.
Luxembourg is a member of the European Union, and thus beholden to the 2020 EU Court ruling that determined CBD and its products were not narcotics, so “a country of the European Union cannot prohibit the marketing of cannabidiol legally produced in another member state.”
Can you grow your own weed?
Technically, not yet. Once the proposed regulations pass through Parliament, adults in Luxembourg will be able to grow up to four plants per household.
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