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

Turkey has two faces and the difference between them is one of the largest in this comparison. A user falls under a regulation that most often ends the case without a conviction, while a person involved in trade falls under one of the strictest regulations in Europe.

The path the case will take is not determined by the weight, but by the purpose of the act. Below is what follows from the text of the Turkish Penal Code.

Legal status checked on September 5, 2026, in the text of the Turkish Penal Code. This is a description of regulations, not legal advice.

Is possession of marijuana in Turkey punishable?

Yes, but the user has their own article and mechanism that in practice most often ends the case without a conviction. The regulation covers four actions at once: purchase, acceptance, and possession of a narcotic or stimulant for personal use, as well as the actual use of such a substance by the perpetrator.

The penalty ranges from two to five years of imprisonment, so on paper it looks severe. However, immediately after this provision, the code mandates postponement of prosecution for five years.

The postponement occurs by virtue of the provision, not by the discretion of the authority. The code explicitly excludes the examination of conditions that must be met in other cases to even apply for postponement.

This shifts the focus from the verdict to the probation period. The entire responsibility of the user unfolds over five years after the act, not in the courtroom, which we discuss in the section on penalties.

Turkey thus combines leniency towards the user with very high penalties for trade. How it compares to other countries is shown by our map of marijuana legality.

It is worth noting that this more lenient procedure applies only to the user. A person involved in trade falls under a completely different provision, described in the section on penalties.

How much marijuana is allowed in Turkey?

The Turkish code does not recognize a quantitative threshold, and the qualification of the act is determined by its purpose. Purchase, acceptance, and possession for personal use fall under the article intended for users with a penalty of two to five years, and this opens the way for postponement of prosecution.

The same actions without this purpose fall under a completely different provision. There, the penalty starts at ten years, so the difference resulting from one element of the subjective side reaches several years of imprisonment.

Quantity does not appear in the provision at all. There is no weight table, no reference to an executive act, and no category corresponding to a negligible amount.

The only spatial number is the radius of aggravation. Acts committed by the user within less than two hundred meters from the boundaries of buildings and facilities where people gather for medical, educational, military, and social purposes are treated more severely.

This concerns schools, dormitories, hospitals, barracks, and temples. It is worth remembering this solution, as it practically applies to a large part of city centers, not exceptional situations.

What are the consequences of exceeding the threshold in Turkey?

For the user, the code provides for two to five years, but with a five-year postponement of prosecution and supervision. During the postponement, electronic supervision or another probationary measure is applied for at least one year, extendable every six months for a maximum of two years.

The prosecutor is obliged to direct the suspect to a check-up examination at least twice a year to see if they are using. The probation period is therefore not a formality, but real supervision with regular control.

The prosecution is initiated if the person persistently violates obligations or treatment, buys, accepts, or possesses a substance for personal use again, or uses it. A repeated use during the postponement counts as a violation and is not prosecuted separately.

If the person perseveres, a decision is made that there are no grounds for prosecution, and the case ends without a verdict. However, there is no second postponement after the prosecution is initiated, so the mechanism works only once.

The scale is completely different for trade. Production, import, or export without permission is punishable by twenty to thirty years of imprisonment and a judicial fine from 2000 to 20,000 daily rates, while domestic trade is punishable by no less than ten years and a fine from 1000 to 20,000 rates. If the recipient is a child, the penalty cannot be less than fifteen years.

Does Turkey have a medical marijuana program?

The Penal Code refers to treatment only from the perpetrator’s side, not from the patient’s side, and this must be clearly separated. During the postponement, a person under supervision can be subjected to treatment if necessary, and this is where the role of this act in medical matters ends.

However, one trace of the permit system can be read from the provision on trade. Acting without permission or contrary to permission is punishable, which implies that such a system exists in Turkey.

This is, however, all that can be derived from this source. The existence of a permit system does not say anything about who can receive the medication, under what indication, or on what conditions.

We have not established a national pathway for patients to access cannabis products, as Turkish health ministry services did not respond. We do not fill this gap with secondary studies.

For a patient from Poland, the conclusion is cautious. One must inquire locally about the Turkish pathway, and transporting one’s own medication across the border is a separate issue that the sources used here do not regulate.

It is worth distinguishing this from the factual state. The lack of confirmation of the pathway does not mean that it does not exist, only that our sources do not cover it.

Frequently asked questions

What are the consequences in Turkey for possession of marijuana for personal use?

From two to five years of imprisonment, but the code mandates postponement of prosecution for five years. During this time, supervision is applied, and if the person perseveres, a decision is made that there are no grounds for prosecution.

How much marijuana can be held in Turkey?

The code does not specify any quantity. The qualification is determined by purpose: possession for personal use falls under the provision for users, while the same actions without this purpose fall under the provision where the penalty starts at ten years.

How does Turkish postponement of prosecution work?

It lasts five years. Electronic supervision or another probationary measure is applied for at least one year, and the prosecutor directs the suspect to a check-up examination at least twice a year to see if they are using.

When is a prosecution initiated in Turkey?

When a person persistently violates obligations or treatment, buys, accepts, or possesses a substance for personal use again, or uses it. A repeated use counts as a violation and is not prosecuted separately.

Does the location of the act affect the penalty in Turkey?

Yes, and this is the only spatial number in the entire provision. Aggravation applies to acts committed by the user closer than two hundred meters from buildings and facilities where people gather for medical, educational, military, and social purposes. The code does not recognize a weight threshold at all.

What penalties are imposed in Turkey for drug trafficking?

Production, import, or export without permission is punishable by twenty to thirty years. Domestic trade is punishable by no less than ten years, and if the recipient is a child, the penalty cannot be less than fifteen years.

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