Where in Latin American Can You Smoke Weed Legally?

Where in Latin America can you smoke weed legally?

While I have never cared that much about weed, I have smoked it maybe 5 times in my life?

From what I can remember, I've smoked it in:

• 1 time in Ohio (or maybe twice? I can't remember). 
• 1 time in Amsterdam
• 2 times in Colombia.
• 1 time in Mexico.
  

Outside of that, perhaps there was a time or two but I don't remember right now. 

Back in Ohio, the first time I ever smoked it was a pretty uneventful event.

Just some dorm room gathering among friends and it was so weak that I thought to myself "is this it? Why do people like weed so much?"

It wasn't until I began traveling the world when I probably got much more potent shit in places like Colombia or Amsterdam.

In those moments, I could at least see the appeal of weed kinda.

It does seem like something to enjoy while listening to Pink Floyd.

Back when I was in Colombia, I remember being part of some group of Americans (one British guy included) where we smoked some weed out in the trees before going back and having some more by some table.

Apparently, according to the British guy at the time, I looked high as fuck.

Still, I'm no expert when it comes to weed given my few times doing it.

While I got nothing against it, it was never enjoyable enough for me to want to go out of my way to find more of it to smoke nor do I care about it that much.

Still, we all know weed is slowly becoming more and more legal with each passing year around the world.

As you can see here, it was even recently legalized in Mexico!

There's a few things I'd like to point out soon but let's first cover where exactly is it legal in Latin America to smoke weed.

Where is it Legal to Smoke Weed in Latin America?

So, for those curious, I found this information here that basically details it for you.

Keep in mind that all of this information is based on what is current in 2022.

Basically, the only Latin American countries that have legalized weed for recreational use are Mexico and Uruguay.

However, only Uruguay has legalized the actual commercial sale of recreational cannabis.

Which, based on my brief time in Uruguay like you can see here, I remember coming across informal vendors on some other street selling marijuana based products (tshirts and the like).

One guy in our group asked one of them if he could get his weed and he did.

I don't remember any shops though selling weed but I couldn't tell you if they exist in Uruguay or not.

Here in Mexico City where I live now, it's not uncommon to smell weed once in a while but you don't see any shops selling weed (not that I have noticed anyway).

Finally, you do have countries where weed is legal for medical use and they are the following: Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Chile and Argentina.

So basically almost the rest of Latin America.

Having said that, I have no experience or knowledge on how easy it is to get approval for medical use of marijuana in those countries.

You'd have to find out yourself.

Here's a 2022 map anyway on the areas where it is legal for recreational and medical use.

Notice: I did not make this map nor do I own it. The source for this map can be found here. No changes were made to the map. The original source was "derived from BlankMap-World.svg and BlankMap-World6-Subdivisions.svg."

One other thing I'd like to mention also is, as you do your research, keep in mind if certain cities have legalized weed but not the country itself.

As you know, that happens in the US where certain states got ahead of it before the federal government.

I'm not saying this is true or not but it wouldn't shock me if certain cities -- especially those in more liberal countries like Argentina, Brazil or Chile -- legalized weed but the entire country hasn't on a federal level.

Think Buenos Aires, Santiago, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia or wherever else (perhaps even San Jose or Panama City?).

Not saying that weed is legalized for recreational use in those cities but just telling you to look into that because, as we know, capital cities tend to be more liberal anyway.

Having said all that, there's one other thing I want to mention.

The Police Don't Give a Shit

Here in Mexico City, you had corrupt police trying to demand bribes from foreigners for not wearing a mask outside even though Mexico City never required anyone to wear a mask outside.

They just assumed that the "typical dumb tourists" wouldn't know any better (leave it to locals to keep thinking of us as tourists and not folks who live here and know the laws).

Regardless, it's just an example of how the police might still try to fuck with you for things that aren't even illegal.

Like how, as I wrote here, one even made shit up about me and demanded I pay a bribe for something I didn't do (pissing in the street when I didn't).

Due to the corruption in Latin America, I wouldn't be surprised if a cop (especially at night time) tried fucking with you for smoking weed even if you did it in a country like Mexico or Uruguay where it is legal.

Especially if you are an obvious foreigner with or without proper Spanish skills.

Even if he doesn't get money from you, he might even take the weed you got on person just to fuck with you and feel like he somehow won something over on a foreigner.

That way he can go back home to his shithole neighborhood in Neza where his morbidly obese wife (read: cousin) can be SO PROUD that he won over the foreigner. 

Grabs his Tonayan and cries out with her "VIVA LA RAZAAA!!!"

Meanwhile, rent is due tomorrow and he has to go back out at night to find SOMEONE else to steal a bribe from.

Got to hustle, you know

Anyway, just keep in mind that, even if smoking weed is legal, you still might get shit for it in Latin America by the corrupt police.

All I can say is to know your rights (both federally and the local city laws that you are in), don't carry much money or valuables on you, learn Spanish to negotiate your bribe, be respectful if something happens and all the rest of it.

More tips on dealing with the police in this article here.

Anything to Add?

So that's it!

If you got anything to add or any updates to include, leave them below in the comment section.

Follow my Twitter here.

And enjoy this relevant song here.

Three 6 Mafia - Where's Da Bud

Thanks for reading.

Best regards,

Matt

IMPORTANT: This article was last updated on May 1, 2022.