Cannabis — Dominican Republic

El cannabis es ilegal en la República Dominicana y la posesión de cualquier cantidad es un delito penal; no existe ninguna cantidad despenalizada ni tolerada. Según la Ley 50-88, la posesión de hasta 20 gramos de marihuana se procesa como "simple posesión", castigada con prisión de 6 meses a 2 años más una multa; cantidades mayores se procesan como distribución o tráfico, con penas de hasta 20 o 30 años. Los gobiernos de EE. UU. y del Reino Unido advierten que incluso cantidades pequeñas llevan al arresto, que los procesos pueden tardar años con el acusado en prisión preventiva, y que los extranjeros condenados deben cumplir la condena completa en el país antes de ser deportados.

Original (EN): Cannabis is illegal in the Dominican Republic, and possession of any amount is a criminal offense — there is no decriminalized or tolerated quantity. Under Ley 50-88, possession of up to 20 grams of marijuana is prosecuted as "simple possession," punishable by 6 months to 2 years in prison plus a fine; larger amounts are prosecuted as distribution or trafficking, with prison terms of up to 20 or 30 years. Both the US and UK governments warn that even small quantities lead to arrest, that cases can take years while the accused is held in detention, and that convicted foreigners must serve their full sentence in the country before being deported.

Under Art. 75 of Ley 50-88: simple possession (for marijuana, up to 20 g — Art. 6) is punished with 6 months to 2 years in prison and a fine of RD$1,500.00 to RD$2,500.00; distributors, vendors and intermediaries with 3 to 10 years and a fine of RD$10,000.00 to RD$50,000.00 (Art. 75 Párrafo I); traffickers (more than one pound of marijuana) with 5 to 20 years and a fine of no less than the value of the drugs involved and never less than RD$50,000.00 (Art. 75 Párrafo II); sponsors with 30 years and a fine of no less than RD$1,000,000.00 (Art. 75 Párrafo III). Importing or exporting drugs is punished with 5 to 20 years and a fine of at least RD$250,000.00, or 30 years and at least RD$1,000,000.00 if the Dominican Republic is the final destination (Art. 59). Foreign defendants cannot be deported until the case concludes and any sentence is served in full; after serving it they are expelled and barred from re-entry (Art. 79). Fine amounts are the statutory figures in Dominican pesos as the consolidated text reads.