Is Marijuana Legal in Turkey?

Turkey a uniquely transcontinental country located in both Western Asia and Southeastern Europe is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. However, its strict drug laws, including those surrounding cannabis, often come as a shock to unsuspecting visitors. So what exactly is the legal status of marijuana in Turkey? Let’s take a closer look.

An Overview of Turkish Cannabis Laws

Recreational marijuana is completely illegal in Turkey. Possessing, using, buying, or selling cannabis for non-medical reasons can lead to serious legal punishments.

• For simple possession of small amounts, individuals may face 1-2 years in prison. However, first-time offenders can sometimes avoid incarceration by agreeing to probation and addiction treatment.

• Anyone caught buying, selling, importing, exporting, or growing cannabis faces much harsher sentences of 5-20+ years in prison depending on the amount and circumstances

• Despite the risks, cannabis is estimated to be the most widely used illicit drug in Istanbul, with usage levels comparable to those in European cities like Barcelona.

• While recreational and medical cannabis remain prohibited, hemp cultivation and CBD products without THC were legalized in 2016.

Possession of Cannabis

Simply possessing marijuana, even small personal use amounts, is illegal in Turkey. Being caught with cannabis can lead to a prison sentence of 1-2 years under the Turkish Penal Code.

The only way most first-time offenders can avoid incarceration is by agreeing to enter probation and addiction treatment. If an individual voluntarily seeks help from a doctor before getting arrested, the doctor is not obligated to report the offense to authorities.

However, any subsequent offense will result in prison time, as will violating the terms of probation. These penalties apply even for possession of very small quantities of cannabis.

Although punishment is still harsh by most standards, Turkey’s approach is softer than in some neighboring countries where prison sentences are mandated even for trace amounts.

Selling, Growing, and Trafficking Cannabis

The sale, production, and trafficking of cannabis are considered much more serious crimes under Turkish law. Lengthy prison terms are handed down for marijuana-related activities beyond simple possession for personal use.

Anyone caught importing, exporting, or selling cannabis domestically can expect to serve a minimum of 10 years in prison. Trafficking marijuana across international borders comes with an even steeper sentence of 20-30 years due to Turkey’s role as a transit hub between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Other factors can also increase sentences for marijuana sellers and traffickers. Selling to minors, working in a position of authority like a teacher or doctor, and selling synthetic marijuana blends may add years to potential prison terms.

Cultivating cannabis plants is also strictly prohibited, even for personal use, and carries stiff penalties on par with trafficking charges. The only legal marijuana cultivation permitted in Turkey is by licensed companies for medicinal purposes and with THC below mandated limits.

CBD Oil and Industrial Hemp

Although recreational and medical cannabis remain prohibited under Turkish law, the legal landscape has slowly evolved over recent years:

• CBD oil products were legalized in 2016 as long as they contain no THC. CBD-only oils can now be purchased in Turkish pharmacies.

• Licenses can now be obtained to cultivate industrial hemp for uses like fabrics and paper. THC content must be extremely low but cultivation is permitted in certain provinces.

• In 2019, President Erdogan announced support for renewed hemp farming in Turkey, citing economic benefits and the country’s historical tradition of hemp production before global drug law prohibitions.

So while CBD and hemp are now sanctioned in Turkey, buying and selling marijuana flower or products with significant THC is still strictly illegal.

Access to Medical Cannabis

The 2016 law changes also created a pathway for limited medical marijuana access in Turkey. While not as broad as many countries’ medical programs, the progress represents a softening of Turkey’s previous hardline prohibitionist stance:

• Doctors can now prescribe CBD/THC oral spray Sativex, which was approved for pharmacy import in 2017.

• Licenses for domestic medical cannabis cultivation are granted for production of oils and medications, but not smokable flower. THC content is tightly controlled.

• To receive a prescription, patients must demonstrate other treatments were ineffective. The number of prescriptions remains low compared to jurisdictions with expansive medical access.

• The Turkish government permits regulated medical marijuana cultivation in 19 provinces, with regular inspections to verify THC levels remain within bounds.

So medical cannabis is now available, but only in limited forms and for patients who have exhausted other options. Recreational use remains prohibited.

Enforcement of Cannabis Laws

Turkey takes its laws prohibiting recreational marijuana very seriously. Anyone who violates them can expect stiff penalties and little tolerance from authorities. Some key points about enforcement:

• Cannabis usage, even personal amounts, requires going through judicial processes with compulsory sentences outlined in the penal code.

• Police frequently use stop and search powers to check for drugs. Borders and transit hubs are also closely monitored.

• Turkey faces pressure from Western allies to crack down on drug trafficking through the country between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

• As a result, those caught buying, selling, or transporting cannabis often receive lengthy prison terms even for minor offenses.

• Medicinal cultivation is closely monitored with random government inspections, and licenses can be revoked for any regulatory breaches.

While social attitudes are gradually becoming more tolerant, especially toward medical cannabis, the legal system still takes an uncompromising stand against recreational marijuana. Visitors to Turkey should be aware of the harsh consequences of violating cannabis laws.

Looking to the Future

The recent steps toward allowing medical marijuana access and restarting domestic hemp cultivation after decades of disuse represent a significant shift in Turkey’s stance on cannabis. While recreational reforms do not appear imminent, attitudes seem to be evolving.

If the medical cannabis program expands and the imminent hemp farming pilot programs succeed, it could initiate a larger transformation in how cannabis is perceived socially and legally. Other signs of hope include government education campaigns extolling hemp’s economic virtues and Istanbul having among the highest illegal cannabis consumption rates in Europe, indicating underlying demand.

However, with no current political initiatives to decriminalize or legalize recreational marijuana, tourists and residents in Turkey need to assume that cannabis will remain prohibited for the foreseeable future. While social acceptance is improving, the official legal position is unlikely to change quickly in this traditionally conservative country.

For now, marijuana laws in Turkey will present challenges for anyone hoping to consume cannabis legally while visiting or living in the country. But with the region gradually moving toward a more progressive approach, Turkey may eventually follow suit if the still-timid medical and industrial developments gain momentum. Until then, extreme caution is warranted to avoid running afoul of Turkey’s infamously stringent anti-marijuana laws.