Speaking generally, Europe is a more liberal continent than many parts of the world. And in some countries, recreational drugs — such as marijuana — have become legal for everyday consumption. So, is weed legal in Sweden?
Despite Sweden being one of the world’s most open societies, its stance toward weed is not a particularly tolerant one. If you’re caught in possession, you can receive significant action. While neighboring Denmark has differing rules for marijuana in some instances, the Swedes have not followed suit.
So, what are the laws surrounding weed in Sweden? Can you smoke weed in Stockholm, or are the rules identical for the entire country? Let’s find out…
Is marijuana legal in Sweden? The marijuana laws in Sweden
If you were planning a holiday to Sweden solely for smoking weed, you will be disappointed. The drug is almost completely illegal in Sweden, and you cannot use it for recreational purposes. Moreover, unlike Christiania in Copenhagen, you have no enclaves where consuming the drug is really accepted.
Even if you don’t intend to smoke weed, having the drug in your possession is similarly illegal — regardless of whether it’s for you or someone else. You could face severe punishments for any recreational association with the drug, as we’ll discuss in further detail later.
In some countries, CBD products are acceptable for public consumption — even though they contain cannabis. But if you were hoping that the rules would differ relating to that, we’re again afraid to tell you that they don’t.
You cannot consume CBD products in Scandinavia’s largest country, and that has been the case since 2019.
Is it illegal to grow marijuana in Sweden?
Is pot legal in Sweden for growing purposes? Again, the answer is no. You cannot grow marijuana in the country, and you will face criminal action if you’re found guilty of doing so.
Growing weed for recreational purposes is completely outlawed, and the same is true — minus a few exceptions — if you want to do so for medical reasons.
However, the laws for growing cannabis in Sweden aren’t as severe as if you’re found to have marijuana in your possession. You will typically receive a fine, and how much this will amount to varies depending on the perceived severity of your offense.
Can you use weed in Sweden for medical purposes?
While many countries ban the use of weed for recreational purposes, exemptions are sometimes made for those suffering from certain medical conditions. So, is weed legal in Sweden for medical reasons? Or will you fall into just as much trouble as you would if you used it recreationally?
The rules are a little more complicated if we look at laws surrounding weed in Sweden for medical reasons. Broadly speaking, you cannot use the drug in the country for such purposes — and laws are sometimes strict.
In 2019, for example, a 79-year-old woman in the town of Gävle received a four-month jail sentence for using cannabis as pain relief.
The use of weed in Sweden for medical purposes is a relatively new phenomenon. In 2012, the country opted to give the green light for usage in these instances — but only under specific conditions.
If you want to use marijuana in Sweden for medical reasons, you must receive permission before doing so. Your doctor must write to the Medical Products Agency asking that you be given the drug to relieve chronic pain, and they must also submit the request on your behalf.
What are the penalties for possessing weed in Sweden?
While many countries differ between what they determine to be hard and soft drugs, Sweden batches all of them in the same category. Since the country has a “zero-tolerance” approach to its usage largely, the penalties for being found guilty of something are often significant.
In some instances, you could receive a prison sentence of up to three years.
The maximum prison sentence also applies to anyone who uses the drug and those who transfer drugs to another person and know what they’re doing. In many instances, you might get away with a lighter punishment if your offense wasn’t too serious.
If you are found guilty of a less serious offense, you might have to spend up to six months in prison instead of the maximum sentence. And in other instances, you might receive a fine due to your actions.
While drug laws in some countries are ambiguous, we recommend that you steer clear of using weed in Sweden full-stop. If the police suspect that you have consumed marijuana, they have the right to ask you for blood and urine samples.
If you are found guilty, the authorities will decide how severe of a punishment you should face.
Will there be cannabis reform in Sweden?
Many people consider Sweden to be at the forefront of progressivism, and the legalization of cannabis is a commonly-debated topic within that area of the political spectrum.
So, what are public attitudes toward cannabis like in the country? Is there much of a chance of these current laws changing at any point in the near future?
Nearby countries like Germany are altering their laws on cannabis sales. But in Sweden, that is not the case — and you’d have to bet a long shot for that to change.
While Swedes are generally open-minded, it would appear that many are happy with their government’s current stance on legalizing marijuana for recreational use. As mentioned in an article published by Reuters, over 80% of people in the country do not want to see the drug legalized within their borders.
In the same article, Camilla Watersson Gronvall — a spokesperson for the Swedish Moderate Party — said that “the issue of legalization is almost non-existent”.
Despite many people previously investing in the stocks of companies related to cannabis, it’s highly unlikely that Sweden will change its stance on marijuana use for recreational reasons anytime soon.
Do many Swedes smoke weed?
Considering that Sweden has a strict approach to marijuana consumption, you might think that means that nobody in the country goes near the drug. However, that is not entirely accurate; many Swedes, especially younger ones, have at least tried weed at some point.
Cannabis is also the most popular recreational drug in Sweden. In 2018, The Local reported that the number of cannabis users in Sweden had reached an all-time high. That was after the Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol, and Other Drugs (CAN) announced findings from research it had carried out around that time.
Between 2016 and 2017, 3.5% more people in Sweden said that they had used cannabis within the 12-month period prior to the research. 4.5% of men said this, which was much higher than the percentage of women; only 2.7% had similar opinions in this respect.
As CAN Head of Research Mats Ramstedt said:
One man in every 20 (4.5%) and one woman in every 40 (2.5%) said in 2017 that they had used cannabis during the last 12 months. In 2013, the proportions were 1.5% and 3.5%.
In that report, weed was most commonly used among men aged between 17 and 29. Within that age bracket, 12.3% said that they had consumed marijuana within the last 12 months.
If we look at a breakdown by region, Stockholm had the largest percentage of people consuming marijuana between 2015 and 2018. As mentioned by Statista, 5.3% of men in the Swedish capital used cannabis in the last 12 months during those time periods — with 3.3% of women saying likewise.
Uppsala was second, with 5% of males and 2.2% of females consuming weed within a 12-month period. Västmanland, Västerbotten, and Västra Götaland were the three counties completing the top five; Skåne finished sixth.
Is smoking weed legal in Stockholm?
Stockholm has the highest cannabis consumption percentages in Sweden, so it might be easy to think that weed in Stockholm is legal — or readily available, at least. The answer to both of these questions is a resounding no.
The capital region follows the same laws as all of Sweden’s other counties, and therefore, it also has a zero-tolerance policy toward weed consumption. You cannot purchase weed in Stockholm legally, and as such, we recommend that you choose a different form of entertainment if you visit.
Is weed legal in Sweden? In short: No
Having read this article, you should now have a definitive answer to the “is weed legal in Sweden?” question. Despite adopting a liberal approach in many areas of life, drug usage is not one of those; the Swedes are very strict surrounding any kind of drug consumption, including marijuana.
If you’re found guilty of using or selling weed in Sweden, you could face significant criminal charges. And if you want to use it for medical reasons, you’ll have to make sure you’ve got the right permission to do so.
If you were thinking about visiting Sweden to smoke weed as part of a fun trip, you’re better off looking elsewhere. Luckily, the country has plenty of other things to keep you entertained — such as wondrous nature. Why not consider kayaking instead of smoking?
Scandification: Discovering Scandinavia.
