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Cannabis laws in Malta

Cannabis laws in Malta

Table of contents

Medical: legal
Recreational: legal, limited  

Malta has some of the most progressive cannabis laws in Europe as the first country in the European Union to legalize weed. Malta legalized medical cannabis in 2018 and created a limited recreational cannabis program in 2021. You can legally carry up to seven grams and grow four plants per household. Smoking in public is illegal. 

Though it is the smallest country in the European Union, Malta is a leader in cannabis legalization. In December of 2021, President George Vella signed a bill that created a recreational cannabis program (albeit a limited one), making it the first country in the EU to fully legalize weed. Under this law, adults over the age of 18 can carry up to seven grams of cannabis in public, grow four plants at home, and store up to 50 grams of homegrown cannabis. 

The law did not create public dispensaries, but non-profit organizations (AKA cannabis social clubs) can grow cannabis and distribute it among members. Malta allows these social clubs to have up to 500 members and give out seven grams per member per day, up to 50 grams each month. The clubs can also give members up to 20 seeds every month. 

Possible penalties 

If you are found to have 8 – 28 grams of cannabis on your person while in public, you may have to pay a fine of €50 to €100 fine. People under 18 caught with cannabis won’t be arrested, but rather will have to follow a government-determined ‘care plan.’ 

You also cannot smoke cannabis in public or in front of children (defined as anyone younger than 18). Doing so means you can be fined €235 or €500, respectively. 

Medical cannabis in Malta 

Malta made its first foray into medical cannabis when the country approved Sativex in 2015, though it had an extremely slow rollout

In 2018, the country legalized medical cannabis prescriptions for the plant. Prescriptions can only be given by doctors and dispensed by a pharmacist. Patients can access the raw plant, but smokable versions are not included. The law named three conditions as qualifiers for medical weed: chronic pain, spasticity in multiple sclerosis, and side effects of chemotherapy. Prescriptions are not covered by public healthcare, but some strains can be purchased for as little as $10 a gram

CBD regulations in Malta 

CBD is available in Malta, and you can find CBD shops throughout the country. While regulations say you need a medical cannabis card to access CBD, this is not the case in practice. 

In 2020, the EU Court ruled that CBD products are not considered narcotics or drugs so “a country of the European Union cannot prohibit the marketing of cannabidiol legally produced in another member state.” Malta is a member of the European Union and thus beholden to recognize this.

Can you grow your own weed?

Yes, you can grow your own weed in Malta, up to four plants per household. 

Visiting Malta – can you buy or bring marijuana products?

Whether you can purchase cannabis as a visitor to Malta is tricky because there are no public dispensaries. As of 2022, you must be a Malta resident to get access to cannabis social clubs where the plant is distributed. The government plans to expand access to tourists in the future, but as of right now there is no legal avenue for visitors to get weed. That being said, you may be able to buy cannabis through the illicit market, a street dealer, or someone who resells to tourists. 

Do not bring cannabis products into Malta. Crossing international borders with weed is considered drug trafficking, which is still highly illegal.

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