Marijuana in Latvia: what is allowed and what are the consequences (2026)

Latvia has a structure that is not found anywhere else in this comparison. For a small amount, criminal liability does not kick in immediately, but only against a person who has been previously warned about such liability.

Thus, the first time ends with a warning, and only the second is a crime. Below is what follows from the text of the unified Latvian Penal Code.

Legal status checked on September 5, 2026, in the text of the unified code from the official database of acts. This is a description of regulations, not legal advice.

Is possession of marijuana in Latvia punishable?

Yes, but Latvia has a structure here that is not found anywhere else in this comparison. For a small amount, criminal liability kicks in only after a warning, so the first contact with the law does not end in a conviction, but in a formal warning. The warning is thus a prerequisite for criminal liability, not a formality.

The provision on small amounts punishes acquisition or possession without intent to distribute, as well as mere use, but only if committed by a person who has been warned about criminal liability for such acts.

The order of events matters here, not the amount. The same situation with two people will yield a different result if one of them has been previously warned and the other has not, regardless of how much was found with them.

Beyond small amounts, the general provision applies, and it does not recognize any warning. It punishes production, acquisition, possession, transport, and sending without intent to distribute with a penalty of up to three years of imprisonment.

Latvia is thus lenient at the entry point and simply strict thereafter. How this boundary looks in other countries in the region is shown by our map of marijuana legality.

How much marijuana is allowed in Latvia?

The Latvian code distinguishes small amounts, ordinary amounts, and large amounts, but does not specify grams for any of them. The numerical thresholds are determined outside the code, and we have not read them, so we do not provide any weight here. The numbers are determined outside the code, in a separate legal act.

The legal effect of each of them is clear and follows directly from the text. A small amount without intent to distribute falls under the provision requiring prior warning, which is the mildest path in the entire structure.

An ordinary amount leads to the general provision with a penalty of up to three years, without any preliminary condition. There is no warning here, and it does not matter whether the perpetrator has previously dealt with the law.

A large amount raises the range to three to ten years. In this category, there is also the possibility of property confiscation and probation supervision lasting up to three years.

The practical conclusion is that the Latvian qualification is determined by two things simultaneously. The first is the size, which the code does not define numerically, and the second is the prior warning.

What are the consequences of exceeding the threshold in Latvia?

Without intent to distribute, the penalty is up to three years of imprisonment or short-term imprisonment, or probation supervision, or community service, or a fine. The catalog is broad, and the choice of sanctions belongs to the court. The catalog of sanctions here is clearly broader than in neighboring countries in the region, and the court chooses freely from it.

In a group with prior agreement or with a large amount, the range increases to three to ten years, with or without property confiscation, and with probation supervision for up to three years.

With intent to distribute or for mere distribution, the penalty is from two to eight years, and in a group from three to ten years. The highest ranges, from five to fifteen years, cover organized groups, large amounts, and serious consequences of the act.

The same penalty applies to distribution to a minor and distribution in places specified in the code. The legislator has specifically listed them: educational institutions and their premises, restaurants, cafes, bars, and places of public entertainment and festive events.

A separate provision exempts two groups of people from criminal liability. The first is anyone who voluntarily surrenders substances or voluntarily notifies about their acquisition, possession, transport, or sending. The second is anyone who provided or organized assistance to another person in case of overdose.

Does Latvia have a medical marijuana program?

We have not confirmed a national cannabis program and we state this directly, instead of filling the gap with secondary studies. The Latvian state agency for medicines refuses access to the machines, so its position could not be read. The response from the machine from this service is a refusal of access, not a lack of a page, so the position exists and we just do not see it.

Beyond Latvian regulations, there is another allowance issued for the entire EU. A drug with cannabidiol received central authorization for circulation in September 2019, with orphan drug status, so its legal basis does not come from Riga.

The indications are narrowly defined. The preparation supports the treatment of seizures in Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, administered together with clobazam in patients from the second year of life, and in tuberous sclerosis, it is combined with other antiepileptic drugs.

However, EU permission is different from availability in pharmacies. Whether the drug has entered the market in Latvia and whether it is reimbursed depends on the responsible entity and national decisions, which we have not separately checked.

For the patient, the conclusion is cautious. One must inquire locally about the access path, as this material describes criminal liability, not the conditions for issuing prescriptions or the list of available preparations.

Frequently asked questions

Is possession of marijuana in Latvia punishable immediately?

For a small amount without intent to distribute, no. The provision punishes only a person who has been previously warned about criminal liability for such acts, so the first time ends with a warning.

How much marijuana can be possessed in Latvia?

The code does not specify a number. It operates with the concepts of small amounts, ordinary amounts, and large amounts, and the numerical thresholds are determined outside the code, so we do not provide any weight here.

What are the consequences in Latvia for possession without intent to distribute?

Up to three years of imprisonment or short-term imprisonment, or probation supervision, or community service, or a fine. A large amount shifts the case to the range of three to ten years.

Can one avoid penalty in Latvia by surrendering the substance?

Yes. A separate provision exempts from criminal liability anyone who voluntarily surrenders substances or voluntarily notifies about their acquisition, possession, transport, or sending.

Where in Latvia is distribution punished most severely?

The ranges from five to fifteen years include, among others, distribution to a minor, distribution in educational institutions and on their premises, in restaurants, cafes, bars, and in places of public events.

Does Latvia have a medical marijuana program?

We have not confirmed a national program, as the Latvian agency for medicines refuses access to the machines. However, the central EU authorization from 2019 for a cannabidiol preparation remains important.

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