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Legal status of cocaine

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The legal status of cocaine varies worldwide. Even though many countries have banned the sale of cocaine for recreational use, some have legalized it for possession, personal use, transportation, and cultivation, while some have decriminalized it for certain uses. It is necessary to distinguish cocaine from coca leaves or the plant itself.

List by country

[edit]
Country Possession Sale Transport Cultivation Notes
 Afghanistan Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Cocaine is fully illegal in Afghanistan and drug trafficking and drug smuggling are sins and crimes that are punishable by death.
 Argentina Decriminalized for private use Illegal Illegal Illegal Cocaine is decriminalized for private and personal use or possession. The consumption and possession of fresh coca leaves for chewing and teas are legal.[1]
 Armenia Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal All uses, sale, possession and use is fully illegal.
 Albania Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Cocaine is effectively illegal and banned in Albania.
 Australia Legal Medically Legal Medically Legal Medically Legal Medically

Cocaine is not a Schedule 8 controlled substance in Australia, that which allows certain medical use of it, but otherwise it is outlawed (controlled).[2]

 Bahamas Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Possession and use is illegal.[3]
 Bangladesh Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal All kind of uses, selling, cultivation and transportation is illegal.
 Bolivia Legal up to 50 grams Illegal Illegal Legal Limited private cultivation of coca is legal in Bolivia, where chewing the leaves and drinking coca tea are considered cultural practices, in particular in the mountainous regions, processed cocaine is forbidden.[4]
 Brazil Decriminalized for private use Illegal Illegal Illegal Public consumption and selling of cocaine are considered crimes. Punishments for public consumption include a warning about the drugs effects, community service (5 to 10 months), and educational courses or programs. Punishment for the selling of cocaine is 5 to 15 years of jail, a R$500–1,500 fine and course or program attendance. The decision on which purpose the apprehended drug had is based on judge decision.[5]
 Canada Illegal, decriminalized in the Province of British Columbia Legal Medically Legal Medically Legal Medically Possession and use is illegal.[6] Consumption, possession, purchasing and trading of cocaine is outlawed, cocaine remains as a Schedule I controlled substance. Effective January 31, 2023 possession up to 2.5 grams of cocaine, opioids, methamphetamine and MDMA by adults (age 18 and over, excluding members of the Canadian Armed Forces unless otherwise authorized[7]) is decriminalized in the Province of British Columbia due to Health Canada mandate[8][9]
 Colombia Legal (up to 1 gram) Illegal Illegal Legal Since 1994, possession of 1 gram of cocaine has been legal for personal use.[10][11] Sale remains illegal, but personal production or gifts of cocaine are permitted.
 Czech Republic Decriminalized (up to 1 gram) Illegal Illegal Illegal Possession of up to 1 gram for personal use is punishable by fine of up to 15000 CZK according to act 167/1998 §39, possession of higher amount is illegal according to Criminal code with up to 2-year sentence. Trafficking is punishable by 2–18 years in prison, depending on the scale and other circumstances.[12][citation needed]
 China Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Use and possession of cocaine is illegal.[13]
 Denmark Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal All kind of uses, selling, cultivation and transportation is illegal.[14]
 Finland Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Possession, use, selling and transportation is illegal.
 Germany Legal Medically, Decriminalized Illegal Illegal Illegal Possession of cocaine without a medical prescription is illegal. Small amounts for personal consumption may go unpunished for first-time or non-regular offenders, however this varies by state. Usually revocation of a driving license will follow from confiscation of any drug except marijuana, since drug users are considered a road hazard.[15]
 Greece Decriminalized for private use Legal only for medical reasons and with license by government Illegal Illegal Use, possession and cultivation of class B drugs is illegal in Greece except for medical reasons. Personal use might be decriminalized. Use in public is also illegal.[16]
 India Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Use and possession of cocaine is illegal with a mandatory 10-year sentence. But its often upheld and wrongly assumed and no proof has been given that Freely Available in Local Shops in Cities.[17]
 Ireland Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Cocaine use, possession, sale, cultivation and transport is illegal.[citation needed]
 Israel Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Every kind of use, possession, sale, transport and cultivation of coca leaves and even the chewing of coca leaves and brewing coca tea is fully illegal in Israel and could be punished with life imprisonment.
 Italy Decriminalized Illegal Illegal Illegal Cocaine possession and consumption in special and overall in small and tiny amounts is decrimalized but the sale, the trade, the deal,the growing, the production and the transportation of cocaine are considered felonies in Italy.
 Japan Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Penalty for cocaine consumption: maximum of 7 years in jail.[18]
 Jordan Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal All uses, possession, sale, cultivation, and production is fully illegal and forbidden even for medical or scientific reasons, drug trafficking and drug sales are punishable by death penalty
 Luxembourg Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Use and possession of cocaine is illegal.[citation needed]
 Malaysia Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Use and possession of cocaine is illegal and is punishable by death [19]
 Mexico Legal (up to 1/2 Gram) Illegal Illegal Illegal There is no penalty for carrying up to 1/2 a gram, however any amount over that is illegal and drug trafficking could be punishable with a summary execution due to the death penalty is abolished into the country [20]
 Netherlands Unenforced (small amounts) Illegal Illegal Illegal Cocaine is considered an illegal hard-drug. Possession, production and trade are not allowed as stated in the Opium Law of 1928. Although technically illegal, possession of less than half a gram usually goes unpunished.[21][22]
 New Zealand Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Cocaine is a Class A drug. The coca leaf and preparations of cocaine containing no more than 0.1% cocaine base, in such a way that the cocaine cannot be recovered, are both classified as Class C, and are punishable with 3 months imprisonment and/or a fine of $500.[23][24]
 Nigeria Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal It is illegal to import, manufacture, process, plant or grow, export, transport, traffic, sell, buy, expose for sale, smoke, inhale, inject, possess or deal with cocaine.[25]
 Norway Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal All kind of uses, selling, cultivation and transportation is illegal.[26]
 North Korea Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal

Cocaine is strictly illegal in North Korea and can be easily punished and persecuted with the death penalty and with the capital punishment, is known that alcohol is forbidden in North Korea however is not legal but is tolerated cannabis smoking in this country.

 Pakistan Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Use and possession of cocaine is illegal.[27]
 Palestine unenforced unenforced unenforced unenforced
 Philippines Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Use and possession of cocaine is illegal. Possession of cocaine is explicitly named as an illegal substance under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The possession 10 grams or more of cocaine or cocaine hydrochloride is punishable by up to life imprisonment.[28]
 Peru Legal (up to 2 grams of cocaine or 5 grams of cocaine-freebase) Illegal Illegal Legal (Coca Plants) Cultivation of coca plants is legal, and coca leaves are sold openly on markets. Similarly to Bolivia, chewing leaves and drinking coca tea are cultural practices. Possession of up to 2 grams of cocaine or up to 5 grams of coca paste is legal for personal use in Peru per Article 299 of the Peruvian Penal Code. If a person possess two or more kinds of drugs at the same time, it is considered criminal offense.[29]
 Portugal Decriminalized up to 2 grams Illegal Illegal Illegal Personal use of cocaine is decriminalized. Drug abuse is dealt with by administrative and medical intervention. Trafficking is illegal.[30]
 Romania Legal Medically Illegal Illegal Illegal All activities associated with cocaine (with the exception of possession for medicinal purposes[31]) are illegal in Romania, per Law 143/2000.[32]
 Saudi Arabia Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Drug Trafficking is punishable by death penalty and drug consumption including alcohol untake is punishable with two up four years in prison, narcotics users are jailed for two years and punished according to the judge's decision. If the offender is a foreigner, he is deported from the Kingdom. A narcotics user who enrolls in a treatment Programme is not questioned, but admitted into a specialised hospital. Saudi law in accordance with the United Nation recommendations treats narcotics addicts as patients who need treatment.[33]
 Singapore Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Trafficking of over 3 grams is punishable by death.[34]
 South Africa Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal It is a criminal offense to have cocaine in your possession.[35]
 Syria Illegal but unenforced due the syrian civil war Illegal but unenforced Illegal but unenforced Illegal but unenforced

Cocaine is illegal in Syria, however due to the Syrian civil war is rarely controlled, and its sale, production, possession, and consumption is rarely punished. The Assad regime is known for being heavily funded by Syrian drug cartels.

 Spain Decriminalized with a fine Illegal Illegal Illegal Cocaine sales are strictly illegal, but private use and personal cocaine consumption is decriminalized with a spot fine and is not a crime nor a felony.
  Switzerland Possession of small amounts decriminalized Illegal Illegal Illegal Traffickers of cocaine are sentenced with jail. Personal use is punished with a fine, contrary to common belief possession of up to 18 grams is not legal. According to a recent study, 5 Swiss cities (St Gallen, Bern, Zurich, Basel and Geneva) were listed among top 10 European cities for cocaine use.[36][37] Personal consumption and possession of small amounts, or sharing with adults free of charge is not liable to prosecution based on the Swiss federal law.[38]
 Sweden Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Sweden is known and infamous for having a zero tolerance policy regarding drug trafficking and drug abuse.
 Thailand Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Thailand is very strict on drugs and it is very common to be stopped, searched and asked to give urine samples on the street, especially in Bangkok. Being caught with intent to sell is punishable by 10 years to life in prison. Consumption for personal use is 1 – 10 years in prison or a fine, or both.[39]
 Ukraine Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Public drug consumption is outlawed and punishable by prison time or with jail punishment but private consumption of drugs is not enforced and is not a crime.
 United Arab Emirates Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Cocaine trafficking is punishable by the capital punishment and drug consumption is punishable with four years in prison in the UAE.
 United Kingdom Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Cocaine was first made illegal by the Dangerous Drugs Act 1920 (10 & 11 Geo. 5. c. 46). It is now classed as a Class A drug, controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (c. 38). Possession carries a punishment of up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both. Supply and production carries a punishment of up to life in prison, an unlimited fine or both.[40] It is legal for medical use under schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/3998).[41]
 United States Legal Medically Legal Medically Legal Medically Legal Medically Cocaine is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act. It remains legal for medical use.
 Venezuela Illegal Illegal Illegal Illegal Cocaine is fully illegal in Venezuela and is punished by extrajudicial executions, and all activities associated with cocaine are illegal including the sale, the bought, the possession, the growing and the consumption.
Country Possession Sale Transport Cultivation Notes

References

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  33. ^ https://www.moi.gov.sa/wps/portal/Home/sectors/narcoticscontrol/contents/!ut/p/z1/jZFBU4MwEIX_Si85ShYChXqLjgK2Mw46VMzFCUykcSihIYr996bqRdvS5rZvvpfdfYsZLjBr-YesuZGq5Y2tn9n0BVLfT1zfm8dBfgU0y-bLmXfjwjTAT9_AdUwTP1wARIs4gJQm-cMsIwQowewcPxx5FM70HwfY-PePXOO7U01sCvJts2EUs0q1RnwaXLRcV8rIqp_sJK0aBHvShGsEnbBBGil6Oysb7ZSG_wGg0S1QSpZJEmbefeT-AmN5n9rYbls3qvw5Lm1LEtWYafEqtNDOu7byypiuv0SAYBgGp1aqboRTqTWCQ5aV6m0cf0ncrfO8GLYEZHrByu3wBXqCBLs!/dz/d5/L0lHSkovd0RNQUprQUVnQSEhLzROVkUvZW4!/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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  36. ^ "Zurich is Europe's weekend cocaine capital". 10 March 2018.
  37. ^ "Youth crime: More drug use, less dealing". 6 July 2018.
  38. ^ "Swiss federal law on narcotics and psychotropic substances. Article 19b".
  39. ^ "Thailand amends drug law to reduce penalties and ensure more proportionate sentencing".
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  41. ^ "Controlled drugs and drug dependence - bnf.nice.org.uk". bnf.nice.org.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2022.

Further reading

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