In Taiwan, recreational marijuana is illegal and medical marijuana is legal under certain conditions.
In Taiwan, drugs are classified as Class 1 to 4 under the Poisonous Drugs Hazard Control Ordinance, and cannabis is designated as a Class 2 drug.
The use, possession, sale, or cultivation of recreational marijuana is punishable by life imprisonment or imprisonment for not less than seven years and a fine of NT$10 million ($32,500 USD).
Medical marijuana used to be illegal, but as of June 2020, it will be legal for both medical and personal use as long as the THC content is less than 0.001%.
Although the conditions are still very strict, it is believed that Taiwan is steadily moving toward lifting the ban on medical marijuana.
Medical cannabis in Taiwan
In Taiwan, as of June 2020, cannabis containing less than 0.001% THC can be used for both medical and personal purposes.
The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) states that cannabis and THC have addictive properties and are classified as Category 2, while CBD is non-addictive, has pharmacological characteristics and medical effects, and is classified as a general medicine.
However, CBD products are not readily accessible to everyone and require a doctor’s prescription. Currently in Taiwan, there are no pharmaceutical companies or other companies that deal with CBD products, and one must apply for CBD products legally imported from overseas or CBD products imported from abroad.
Currently, four types of pharmaceuticals are approved in Taiwan. The four approved drugs include Epidiolex, Marinol, Sativex, and Syndros.
Activities to promote decriminalization of marijuana
In Taiwan, an organization called Green Sensation is working to promote the decriminalization of marijuana. A petition for the legalization of marijuana compiled by Green Sensation for the legalization of marijuana is said to have collected more than 12,000 signatures.
Activists calling for decriminalization held a demonstration in central Taipei, and in response to this demonstration, the Ministry of Justice reaffirmed the government’s strong opposition to the legalization of marijuana.
What you should know before going to Taiwan
Recreational marijuana is illegal in Taiwan and cannot be brought into Taiwan.
Even if you have a medical marijuana permit, it is illegal in Taiwan and you will be penalized, so be careful not to bring it into Taiwan.
Even if your CBD product is legal in your country, there is a high possibility that it will be illegal in Taiwan.
Conclusion
We have introduced the cannabis situation in Taiwan.
In Taiwan, marijuana is designated as a Category 2 drug, and its use or possession is subject to heavy penalties. Medical and personal use is limited to THC less than 0.001%, and four types of medicines are currently approved in Taiwan. However, they are not distributed in Taiwan and must be imported legally from other countries or an application for importation must be filed.
Since there are no companies handling CBD products in Taiwan, CBD products cannot be purchased freely yet, but it is expected that companies handling CBD products will appear in the next few years.