Medical marijuana is legal in Norway and recreational marijuana is decriminalized.
Recreational marijuana is decriminalized, but not legalized, and there are penalties for recreational marijuana use.
Recreational marijuana was resolved by the Norwegian Parliament in December 2017; as of 2023, possession of small amounts of marijuana (15g or less) will result in a fine, not prosecution.
Possession of small amounts carries only a fine, but possession or sale of large amounts of marijuana, or import or export of marijuana, carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
However, if the Norwegian authorities deem the amount to be excessive, the maximum sentence in Norway is 21 years or less.
Medical cannabis in Norway
Medical cannabis was legalized in Norway in 2016, and a medical cannabis program has been in place since 2018.
Prescribing of medical cannabis remains strict, with cancer patients and epilepsy patients needing to obtain permission from their doctors to use medical cannabis when their treatments have been exhausted.
Permission is notoriously difficult to obtain, and furthermore, the cost of medical marijuana is high because subsidies do not apply.
Some Norwegians who receive medical marijuana treatment have to travel to other European countries to receive their medical marijuana prescriptions. The Schengen Agreement allows European citizens to cross borders with a month’s supply of prescription drugs.
It is said that there are few doctors in Norway who are knowledgeable about marijuana, which points to a problem with medical marijuana.
CBD is legal
CBD is legal in Norway.
However, guidelines must be followed and THC must be 0%. The use of recreational marijuana is decriminalized, but THC is not allowed in any concentration in Norway.
This law seems a bit contradictory.
So when purchasing CBD products in Norway, choose THC-free products.
Movement for Drug Reform
In Norway, there is a movement to legalize drugs.
The Norwegian Parliament has proposed that drug addicts be considered sick people rather than criminals.
Instead of penalizing them as criminals, some argue that medical and health institutions need to be compassionate and reach out to those who need help.
This is a strong voice among well-known scholars and politicians, and although it has not yet been formalized, if this work continues, Norway will become a world leader in drug reform.
Conclusion
This has been an introduction to the marijuana situation in Norway.
In Norway, medical marijuana is legal and recreational marijuana is decriminalized.
Medical marijuana is legalized in Norway, but some problems have been pointed out, such as the cost of medical marijuana and the lack of prescriptions.
Recreational marijuana is punishable only by a fine for small amounts, but heavy penalties are imposed for the purpose of sale or possession of large quantities.
Some organizations are campaigning for reform regarding drug use, so it will be interesting to see how Norway moves against drug use in the future.