Cannabis — Qatar

Cannabis is illegal in Qatar, and consuming it is an offence in its own right - not just having it. Article 37 of Law No. 9 of 1987 punishes possessing, buying, receiving, transporting or growing cannabis for personal use, or consuming it, with six months to three years in prison plus a fine of QR 10,000 to QR 20,000. Refusing to give a sample for analysis is treated by the law itself as evidence that you consumed. Cannabis and cannabis resin are on the Ministry of Public Health's list of substances banned from entering Qatar, and cannabis, hashish and hemp seeds are on the customs prohibited-goods list.

Possession, purchase, transport or cultivation for personal use, or consumption (art. 37): six months to three years' imprisonment plus a fine of QR 10,000 to QR 20,000. Possession for a purpose other than trafficking or personal use (art. 41): 3 to 7 years plus QR 100,000 to QR 200,000. Possession, purchase or sale with intent to traffic (art. 35): 10 to 20 years plus QR 200,000 to QR 400,000. Importing, manufacturing or cultivating with intent to traffic, or trafficking (art. 34): death or life imprisonment plus QR 300,000 to QR 500,000 - that is the trafficking provision and it does not attach to possession or use for personal consumption. Under the Penal Code a court may order a convicted foreigner deported after serving sentence, or deported instead of being sentenced in a misdemeanour case.