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

Indonesia has quantity thresholds, but they work the opposite way to European ones: they do not exempt from liability, but open the way to life imprisonment. The limit for dried cannabis and extracts is five grams.

There is also a provision that affects travelers more than the penalties themselves, as it takes effect even before entry. Below is what follows from the text of the Indonesian drug law.

Legal status checked on September 5, 2026, in the text of the Indonesian drug law. This is a description of the regulations, not legal advice.

Is possession of marijuana in Indonesia punishable?

It is prohibited and carries a penalty that sounds unbelievable in Europe. Cannabis is classified in Indonesia in the first group of the list, and the annex to the law lists the cannabis plant, all plants of this kind, and all parts of the plant, with no exceptions provided.

The scope of this entry is exceptionally broad. It includes seeds, fruits, straw, processed products, as well as resin and hashish, and separate entries list tetrahydrocannabinol with all isomers and delta-9-THC with all stereochemical forms.

The basic provision punishes illegal planting, growing, possessing, storing, controlling, or distributing a first group drug in the form of a plant with a penalty of four to twelve years of imprisonment and a fine from 800 million to 8 billion rupiah.

A separate provision provides the same for forms other than the plant, that is, for dried cannabis, resin, and extracts. The structure is therefore dual-track, and the difference between the tracks only becomes apparent at the thresholds of severity.

Indonesia is thus one of the strictest countries in this ranking. How it compares to others is shown by our map of marijuana legality.

The duality of this structure only reveals itself at the thresholds of severity, described in the next section. The basic ranges are the same for both forms.

How much marijuana is allowed in Indonesia?

There are thresholds, but they work in the opposite direction to Europe, and this is the most important sentence of this section. They do not exempt from liability nor mitigate it, but open the way to the highest penalties provided in the law, including life imprisonment.

For the plant form, exceeding one kilogram or more than five plants raises the threat to life imprisonment or a penalty of five to twenty years. The maximum fine increases by one third.

For forms other than the plant, exceeding five grams has the same effect. This is a number worth remembering before traveling, as it falls into the category of minor possession in European rankings.

Five grams of hashish or oil is therefore the limit in Indonesia, beyond which the law allows for life imprisonment. The difference compared to European regulations does not lie in the severity of the penalty, but in the direction in which the number operates.

Below the thresholds, liability is also high, so there is no lenient zone here. The lowest ranges start from four years of imprisonment.

It is worth noting that these thresholds do not depend on the intent of the perpetrator. The mass or number of plants counts, so exceeding the limit operates independently of the intended use.

What are the consequences of exceeding the threshold in Indonesia?

For possession, the penalty ranges from four to twelve years and a fine from 800 million to 8 billion rupiah, and above the thresholds, life imprisonment or a penalty of five to twenty years with a fine increased by one third is possible. This is a scale where there is no room for a monetary penalty instead of imprisonment.

Separately and much more leniently, the law treats the user themselves. For using a first group drug for oneself, it provides a penalty of up to four years, which is the same as the lower limit for possession.

In addition, there is a court obligation, which is almost nowhere else in this ranking. If it is proven that a person is a victim of drug abuse, the court is obliged to refer them to medical and social rehabilitation.

Failing to report someone else’s drug crime is also punishable. It carries a penalty of up to one year of imprisonment or a fine of up to 50 million rupiah, so liability also extends to witnesses.

In organized action, the maxima increase by one third. The exception is acts already threatened with the death penalty, life imprisonment, or twenty years, for which the increase does not occur.

Does Indonesia have a medical marijuana program?

There is none, and the law states this explicitly in one sentence, so it does not need to be derived from the arrangement of provisions or from the practice of the authorities. It states that first group drugs are prohibited from being used for health care purposes, and that is where the matter ends.

Since cannabis is classified in the first group, medical use is excluded at the level of the law. This is not a situation where there is a lack of executive regulation, but one where the law itself closes the way.

The next paragraph leaves the only gap, and it is narrow. In limited quantities, first group drugs may be used for the development of science and technology and as diagnostic and laboratory reagents.

Even this gap requires approval at the highest level. Approval from the minister is needed, issued at the request of the head of the food and drug supervision agency, so it is not about a simple administrative permit.

For the patient, the application is unequivocal. Prescriptions for cannabis products cannot be filled in Indonesia, and changing this state would require moving cannabis in the list, that is, amending the law.

There is also no pilot program or exceptional path for seriously ill patients. The law does not provide any mechanism through which a doctor could apply for a product.

Is it allowed to grow cannabis for personal use in Indonesia?

There is no separate, more lenient provision for cultivation in Indonesia, and this distinguishes it from some Asian countries described in this cluster. Planting and growing are in the same article as possession and storage, with the same penalty of four to twelve years.

The number of plants matters only as a threshold for severity. More than five plants, just like a mass above one kilogram, opens ranges reaching life imprisonment.

There is therefore no number of plants at which cultivation would be treated leniently. The fifth plant and the sixth represent two different categories of liability, but both fall within criminal law.

It is worth noting the breadth of the list itself. Since it includes seeds and all parts of the plant, liability begins before anything has sprouted.

The practical conclusion is that there is no home cultivation in any form in Indonesia. The law does not provide for either an exception or a licensing path for individuals.

For residents, this means no legal path whatsoever. The law does not recognize a permit for cultivation for individuals, even on the scale of one plant.

Can you bring cannabis medication into Indonesia?

Indonesia has a provision that affects travelers more than the penalties themselves, as it takes effect even before entering the country, already at the border control stage. It mandates the expulsion of a foreigner who has committed a drug crime and served a sentence, and then prohibits their return to the country permanently. The ban also includes return in any capacity.

The third paragraph of this provision goes much further, and it is the most important here. A foreigner who has ever committed a drug crime abroad is prohibited from entering the territory of Indonesia.

The effect is far-reaching and easy to overlook. A conviction from another country, even from one where cannabis is now legal, but the act was a crime there at the time, can permanently close the door to Indonesia.

The provision does not contain a time limitation. The phrase about any drug crime committed also includes convictions from many years ago, even those expunged in the country where they were issued.

For someone planning a trip, the practical conclusion is that a criminal history from years ago may matter here more than anything found in their luggage.

It is worth checking this before purchasing a ticket, not at the airport. The refusal of entry occurs at the border, so the consequences are borne after paying for the entire trip.

Frequently asked questions

How much marijuana is allowed in Indonesia?

There is no safe amount. The thresholds work the opposite way to Europe: exceeding five grams of dried cannabis or extract, and for plants, one kilogram or five plants, opens the way to life imprisonment.

What are the consequences in Indonesia for possession of marijuana?

From four to twelve years of imprisonment and a fine from 800 million to 8 billion rupiah. Above the thresholds, the law allows for life imprisonment or a penalty of five to twenty years.

Does Indonesia penalize using it more leniently?

Yes. For using a first group drug for oneself, the penalty is up to four years, and if it is proven that the person is a victim of abuse, the court is obliged to refer them to medical and social rehabilitation.

Does Indonesia have medical marijuana?

No. The law states explicitly that first group drugs are prohibited from being used for health care purposes, and cannabis belongs to this group. The exception only applies to science and laboratory research.

Does a drug conviction from another country block entry to Indonesia?

Yes. The provision prohibits entry to a foreigner who has ever committed a drug crime abroad and does not contain a time limitation.

Is it punishable in Indonesia to fail to report someone else’s act?

Yes. Failing to report someone else’s drug crime carries a penalty of up to one year of imprisonment or a fine of up to 50 million rupiah.

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