Medical marijuana is legal in Denmark, while recreational marijuana is illegal.
Recreational marijuana is illegal, but it is decriminalized in small amounts. For a first offense, possession of up to 9.9g or 0.35oz of cannabis carries a fine of approximately EUR 70. Small amounts for personal use are often not considered a crime.
However, being caught in possession or use of large quantities of marijuana, 10kg or more, carries a sentence of up to 16 years in prison and a fine.
Although recreational marijuana is illegal, according to one survey, 11% of people in Denmark said they had used marijuana in the past 12 months.
Marijuana use in Denmark has increased since the 1990s and 2000s.
Medical cannabis in Denmark
Denmark enacted a medical cannabis program in 2018.
Denmark is the most advanced medical cannabis program in the EU, with 12 medical cannabis companies approved. Medical cannabis is used for nausea and pain relief for cancer patients and multiple sclerosis patients.
By 2021, more than 40 companies will be allowed to grow and handle medical marijuana as long as they maintain high quality standards.
Denmark is about to become one of the largest medical marijuana producing countries in Europe with over 200,000 square meters of cultivation area under construction.
CBD is legal
CBD is legal in Denmark.
As in other European countries, CBD is legal as long as the THC concentration is less than 0.2%, and many CBD brands have appeared in Denmark.
Will Denmark legalize cannabis?
As of 2023, there is no movement to legalize cannabis in Denmark.
However, with Germany’s decision to legalize recreational marijuana and the activities of organizations that support cannabis, I expect that there will be discussions about legalizing cannabis in Denmark.
We will continue to monitor the Danish marijuana situation closely, although we do not expect it to be legalized anytime soon.
Conclusion
We have introduced the Danish marijuana situation.
In Denmark, medical marijuana is legal and recreational marijuana is illegal. In many cases, small amounts of recreational marijuana for personal use are not considered a crime.
Possession of large amounts is punishable by imprisonment and fines.
There has been no move to legalize recreational marijuana yet.