Cannabis — Greece

Cannabis is illegal in Greece, and travelers can be arrested for possessing even small amounts. Under article 29 of drug law 4139/2013, buying, possessing or using drugs exclusively for personal use — including growing a few cannabis plants — is a criminal offence punishable by up to 5 months in prison, and there is no published quantity threshold you can rely on: courts judge "personal use" case by case. Amounts a court finds beyond personal use are treated as felony trafficking, with a minimum 8-year sentence. Greek law makes no exception for travelers who are only passing through: article 20 lists importation, exportation and transit among the trafficking acts that carry a minimum 8-year sentence.

Personal-use procurement, possession, use, or small-scale cannabis cultivation: imprisonment up to 5 months (Law 4139/2013 art. 29(1)); the court may deem an entirely occasional act unpunishable (art. 29(2)), and convictions under art. 29(1) are not entered on criminal-record copies (art. 29(3)). Quantities not justified as personal use are prosecuted as trafficking — which expressly includes import, export and transit: at least 8 years' imprisonment and a fine up to EUR 300,000 (art. 20), rising in aggravated cases to at least 10 years or life and fines of EUR 50,000–1,000,000 (arts. 22–23). Driving under the influence of narcotics: at least 5 months' imprisonment, a EUR 1,000–15,000 fine, and 2–5 years' licence deprivation (art. 25).

Verified Aug 31, 2026