Marijuana in Bulgaria: what is allowed and what are the risks (2026)

Bulgaria appears in rankings as a very strict country, and formally it is. However, the entire practice hangs on one provision of the criminal code, which turns imprisonment into a fine for minor offenses.

The second Bulgarian thread is systemic: the lack of a medical program does not result from negligence, but from the classification of cannabis. Below is what follows from the text of both acts.

Legal status checked on September 5, 2026, in the texts of the law on control and the criminal code. This is a description of the regulations, not legal advice.

Is possession of marijuana in Bulgaria punishable?

Yes, and at the higher of the two levels of responsibility, because cannabis is classified in Bulgaria under list I. The control law divides substances into three lists, and belonging to one of them determines both the penalty and the possibility of medical use.

The division looks like this. List I includes plants and substances with a high degree of risk to public health, prohibited for use in human and veterinary medicine. List II includes high-risk substances that have medical applications. List III includes risky substances.

Cannabis falls into the first group, and this follows directly from the arrangement of the law. The chapter prohibiting its cultivation is titled as concerning list I, so it counts as a high-risk substance without recognized medical use.

The criminal code distinguishes between two situations that should not be confused. Acquisition or possession without permission has a separate provision, distinct from possession for distribution, and the difference in the threat between them is significant.

Bulgaria is therefore a country where the classification itself does more than the severity of penalties. How this relationship looks elsewhere is shown by our map of marijuana legality.

How much marijuana is allowed in Bulgaria?

The Bulgarian code does not recognize a quantitative threshold and does not refer to any table. However, it does recognize the concept of a minor case, which radically changes the penalty, as well as the concepts of large and particularly large quantities, which raise it several levels at once. The assessment in each case is up to the court.

This solution shifts the burden of decision-making to the assessment of the case. There is no weight below which the act automatically becomes minor, nor one above which it automatically becomes serious, because the legislator used evaluative concepts.

The only number in Bulgarian cannabis law is the threshold for industrial hemp. Cultivation, production of seeds, import and export of plants and seeds with a THC content below 0.2 percent by weight are only possible with the permission of the Minister of Agriculture.

The method of measurement has been precisely described. The content is measured in the mass of leaves and in the tips of flowers and fruits, not in the whole plant, which is significant when assessing a specific batch.

The practical conclusion is that in Bulgaria there is nothing to weigh before leaving home. The qualification of the act depends on the circumstances of the case, not on a number that can be checked independently.

What are the consequences of exceeding the threshold in Bulgaria?

For acquisition or possession without permission, without the intent to distribute, with high-risk substances, the penalty ranges from one to six years of imprisonment and a fine from 2000 to 10 000 levs. For risky substances, the ranges are lower: up to five years and a fine from 1000 to 5000 levs.

However, the most important is paragraph five, as it determines what users actually face. In minor cases, the penalty is just a fine up to 1000 levs, without imprisonment and without a lower limit from previous paragraphs.

For comparison, it is worth looking at the other side of this scale. Possession for distribution or distribution itself carries a penalty of two to eight years and a fine from 5000 to 20 000 levs for high-risk substances.

It escalates quickly. Large quantities raise the penalty to a range of three to twelve years, and acts in public places, with particularly large quantities, or committed by a doctor, pharmacist, educator, teacher, or head of an educational institution, carry a penalty of five to fifteen years and a fine from 20 000 to 100 000 levs.

Inciting or assisting another person in using is separately punishable: from one to eight years and a fine from 5000 to 10 000 levs. The subject and means of the crime are subject to confiscation for the state.

Does Bulgaria have a medical marijuana program?

There is none, and this results directly from the classification, not from a lack of implementing regulations. The law defines list I as plants and substances with a high risk prohibited for use in human and veterinary medicine, and cannabis belongs to this list.

The contrast with list II is most telling here. It includes equally high-risk substances, but those that have medical applications, so the legislator clearly separated risk from medical usefulness.

The consequence is simple and irreversible without a change of lists. As long as cannabis is on list I, a doctor has nothing to prescribe, as the law itself excludes medical use, regardless of the state of knowledge or practice in other countries.

However, there is a procedural detail worth noting. The lists are established by a regulation of the Council of Ministers, not by law, so changing the classification does not require parliamentary amendment and could happen faster than in countries where the list is part of the law.

For a patient from Poland, the conclusion is clear. Prescriptions for cannabis flower cannot be filled in Bulgaria, and the sources used here do not describe any exceptional path for seriously ill patients.

Is it allowed to cultivate cannabis for personal use in Bulgaria?

It is explicitly and broadly prohibited. Article 27 paragraph 1 prohibits sowing and cultivation on the territory of Bulgaria of opium poppy, coca shrub, and plants of the genus cannabis, with the only exception being the exception for industrial hemp described in article 29. The prohibition covers sowing itself, even before the plant has emerged.

Paragraph two introduces a solution that is not present in most countries in this ranking. It imposes an obligation on the owner or user of the land: they must destroy such plants if they grow on their territory, regardless of who sowed them.

Illegally sown plants are subject to seizure and destruction on site. There is no stage of storing evidence in its previous form, which distinguishes the Bulgarian procedure from many others.

A separate article 28 prohibits the acquisition of opium, poppy straw, cannabis, hashish, and hash oil. The prohibition therefore covers not only cultivation itself but also the activities that follow it.

The only exception is for cannabis with a THC content below 0.2 percent by weight, and only with the permission of the Minister of Agriculture. Home cultivation for personal use does not fall within this exception in any form.

Frequently asked questions

How much marijuana is allowed in Bulgaria?

The criminal code does not provide a quantitative threshold and does not refer to a table. It uses evaluative concepts: a minor case, which mitigates the penalty, and large and particularly large quantities, which raise it.

What are the consequences of possession of marijuana in Bulgaria?

For acquisition or possession without permission and without the intent to distribute, the penalty ranges from one to six years of imprisonment and a fine from 2000 to 10 000 levs. In minor cases, the penalty is just a fine up to 1000 levs.

Does Bulgaria have medical marijuana?

No. Cannabis is classified under list I, defined as plants and substances with a high risk prohibited for use in human and veterinary medicine. As long as it is there, a doctor has nothing to prescribe.

Is it allowed to cultivate cannabis in Bulgaria?

No. The law prohibits sowing and cultivation of plants of the genus cannabis, and the owner or user of the land is obliged to destroy such plants if they grow on their territory. The exception applies only to industrial hemp with the permission of the Minister of Agriculture.

What is the THC threshold for industrial hemp in Bulgaria?

Below 0.2 percent by weight, measured in the mass of leaves and in the tips of flowers and fruits. Cultivation, production of seeds, import and export are only possible with the permission of the Minister of Agriculture.

Can the Bulgarian lists of substances be changed by the government?

The lists are established by a regulation of the Council of Ministers, not by law, so changing the classification does not require parliamentary amendment. This distinguishes Bulgaria from countries where the list is part of the law.

Sources

This article is for informational and educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. The legal status described in the article is valid as of the date of publication: regulations regarding cannabis may change. Before making a decision, consult a lawyer or current legal acts.

Author: Michał Waluk