Is Weed Legal in Greece_ 5 Key Facts About Cannabis Laws

In Greece, cannabis laws have undergone significant changes over the years. In the 1930s, Greece joined the global prohibition movement, and by 1987, harsh penalties were imposed for cannabis-related offenses. However, in 2017, Greece legalized medical cannabis, and in 2018, industrial hemp became legal as well. Recreational cannabis remains illegal and carries hefty fines and potential jail time. Medical cannabis requires a prescription from a specialized doctor and approval from the National Organization for Medicines. Access to medical cannabis can be challenging due to limited authorized pharmacies and high costs. Public opinion is shifting, with over 60% of Greeks supporting medical cannabis. Despite the risks, 11% of young adults in Greece reported using cannabis in the past year. While there is no strong push to legalize recreational cannabis, there are discussions about expanding the medical cannabis program and improving accessibility and affordability for patients. All right, so welcome to another deep dive. Excited to be here. Today, we're going, we're headed to Greece. Ooh, Greece! Not for the beaches or the ancient ruins this time, though. No, no, not this time. We're diving into the world of cannabis laws in Greece. Interesting. Yeah, it's a pretty fascinating topic, actually. We've got this article here. Is weed legal in Greece? Five key facts about cannabis laws. Okay. And it turns out, you know, it's way more interesting than just a simple legal or illegal situation. I bet, I bet. So what's the, like, what's the big takeaway here? What makes it so fascinating? Well, it's kind of like, you know, they're dipping their toes into the cannabis world. Right. But, like, holding back a bit, you know? I see, I see. It's like they're hesitant. Exactly. They've got this kind of cautious approach. To really understand where they are now, we need to, like, rewind a bit, you know? See where they came from. Makes sense, yeah. Lay some historical groundwork. Exactly. So in the 1930s, Greece, like a lot of other countries, they jumped on the prohibition bandwagon. But then things got, they got really strict in the late 20th century. Like, in 1987, they passed this law, Law 1529-197. Catch a name. Oh, yeah, super catchy. But it had these incredibly harsh penalties for anything related to cannabis. Oh, wow. We're talking, like, up to five years in prison. Even for, you know, just having a small amount. Five years? Just for possession. That's wild, especially considering how things have, you know, changed, like, globally. Yeah, it's pretty crazy, right? But that was kind of the prevailing attitude back then. Now, fast forward to 2017. Okay. And there's a, like, a huge EE shift. Greece legalizes medical cannabis. Interesting. So it seems like, you know, the science, the research about how cannabis can actually help people and all the patient advocacy, all that, played a big role in that decision. That makes sense, yeah. So they shifted from, like, total prohibition to allowing medical use. Exactly, and they didn't stop there. The article also mentioned that industrial hemp became legal, too. Oh, wow, so when did that happen? That was in 2018. Okay. And that kind of shows how, you know, they're starting to see the potential in cannabis, at least in certain areas. Yeah, it's like a cautious opening up. Exactly, exactly. So that brings us to, like, where things stand today in Greece. All right, so, bottom line, is it legal or not? Well, it's not that simple. Figures. If we're talking about, you know, recreational use. Yeah. It's still totally illegal. Like, even a little bit can get you a hefty fine, up to 2,000 euros. Ooh, that's a lot. And you could even end up in jail for up to five months. Seriously, so no sparking up on the beach in Mykonos, then. Definitely not a good idea. Correct. But here's where it gets interesting. Okay. So recreational cannabis, big no-no. But medical cannabis, that's totally legal. And it has been since 2017. Huh. So there's a distinction there. Big time. So people with, you know, certain conditions, like chronic pain or PTSD, epilepsy, they can get cannabis-based treatments. With a prescription, I'm assuming. Of course. Well, I gotta have that doctor's approval. And speaking of things that are legal. Yeah. What about CBD? You know, it's everywhere these days. It really is. So what's the deal with CBD in Greece? Well, Greece is, they're right there with the rest of the EU on this one. CBD products, they're legal, as long as they have less than 0.2% THC. Right, that's the psychoactive part. Exactly, exactly. So yeah, it's definitely a complex situation. And a lot of nuance. Yeah, a lot of nuance. But let's focus on the medical cannabis program for a minute. Okay. Because it's, one thing to say it's legal, but how does it actually work? How easy is it for people to actually get medical cannabis in Greece? Right, right. Because it's not always as straightforward as it might seem. Definitely not. And in Greece, it's not as simple as just walking into a dispensary and grabbing what you need. So what's the process like? Well, first of all, you gotta have a prescription from a doctor. Right, of course. A doctor who's specifically allowed to prescribe medical cannabis. Exactly, exactly. They need to understand all the ins and outs, the risks, the benefits, all that. Absolutely, yeah. But even with a prescription, there's more to it, right? Yeah, there's more. That prescription then has to go to the National Organization for Medicines. It's, they call it EOF. EOF. And they oversee all the medical cannabis in Greece. They gotta approve it. So there's definitely a bureaucratic layer to this. There is. And finally, after you get that approval, you can buy your cannabis products from authorized pharmacies. Okay, but there are authorized pharmacies in Greece, right? There are, there are. But, and this is a big beauty, there aren't many of them. So actually getting access to medical cannabis can be a real struggle for some people. That's gotta be incredibly frustrating, especially if you're already dealing with health issues. It is, it is. And to make matters worse, most of the medical cannabis in Greece is, it's imported. So that probably means it's pretty pricey. You guessed it. The article mentioned patients could be paying anywhere from 250 to 750 euros per month for their treatment. Wow, that's a significant expense. Yeah, it is. So even though, you know, medical cannabis is technically legal, there are still these huge obstacles like access and affordability. Yeah, it sounds like there's still a long way to go. Absolutely. And it makes you wonder, like, how is this all affecting public opinion? Are people still using cannabis recreationally, even though it's illegal? And how are attitudes about cannabis changing in Greece? All good questions. Definitely things to explore. And that's exactly what we'll be doing when we come back. We're gonna dive into the social landscape around cannabis in Greece and see how people are really viewing it all. So stay tuned. Welcome back to our deep dive on cannabis laws in Greece. Glad to be back. So we've kind of set the stage with the legal stuff. The framework. Exactly, exactly. But now let's see what's really happening on the ground. Like, how do people in Greece actually feel about cannabis? That's always the interesting part, right? Going beyond the laws on paper. Exactly, exactly. And it's fascinating because, well, you know, recreational use, there's still like a big stigma around that. Right. But when it comes to medical cannabis, things are kind of shifting. It seems like there's a growing acceptance there. Definitely. It mentioned that over 60% of Greeks, they support medical cannabis now. Wow, 60%, that's a pretty significant number. What do you think is driving that change? I think it's a few things, honestly, like people are becoming more aware of the science, the research that shows how cannabis can help people with all sorts of conditions. Yeah, it's not just about getting high anymore. Exactly, exactly. It's becoming more legitimate in people's eyes, like a real medicine. Right, right. And I think those patient advocacy groups, they deserve a lot of credit too. Sure, for sure. They've been sharing their stories and helping people understand what it's really about. Yeah, putting a human face on it and challenging those old stigmas. Totally, totally. And we can't forget about the younger generation. Yes, the generational shift. They tend to be a bit more open-minded when it comes to cannabis. Definitely, and as they become a bigger part of the population, their views are gonna have a bigger impact. For sure, for sure. But even with all that support for medical cannabis, recreational use is still very much illegal. So what's actually happening? Are people still using it, even with those risks? Well, the article, it mentioned a pretty interesting statistic. Okay, what's that? 11%, 11% of young adults in Greece said they've used cannabis in the past year. So even with those strict laws and the possibility of fines, jail time, people are still, you know. Still using it, yeah. It's like that classic prohibition paradox, right? Doesn't really work. Yeah, it just pushes it underground, creates a black market, no quality control. Exactly, exactly. You don't know what you're actually getting when you buy cannabis illegally. Could be dangerous. Yeah, it could be laced with other stuff, could be low quality. And the government, they're missing out on all that potential tax revenue, right? Exactly, exactly. So Greece, they're kind of taking this baby steps approach with medical cannabis, but they're leading this whole other market, this potential moneymaker, just sitting there. It's true, it's an interesting dilemma for them. But let's shift gears a bit and talk about the future. What do you see happening with cannabis in Greece? Are they gonna change their stamp anytime soon? Well, the article said the future's kind of hazy. Hazy, huh? I see what they did there. Right, right, pretty clever. But seriously, there's not really any strong push to legalize recreational cannabis right now. At least not that we know of. Okay, so no Amsterdam-style coffee shops popping up in Athens in the near future. Probably not. Right. But it's not like things are totally frozen in time. Right. There's so many conversations happening about expanding the medical cannabis program. Makes sense. It's a booming industry globally. In Greece, they've had some economic struggles, so it could be a way to boost things up. Absolutely, yeah, bring in some investment. Exactly, exactly. And they're also looking at ways to make it easier for patients to get the medical cannabis they need. So easing some of those restrictions we talked about. Hopefully, yeah. Lowering the cost, making it more accessible. Oh, huge, yeah. Make a big difference for people. It would, it would. And there's talk of changing the rules around industrial hemp, too. Oh, right, right, because that was legalized back in 2018. Yep, yep. But they're always tweaking things, trying to find that sweet spot where it can really flourish. It's like they're testing the waters, testing what works, what doesn't. Exactly, so it's like they're being cautious, but also recognizing that there's potential here. Yeah, it's this balancing act between tradition and progress. That's a great way to put it. And it'll be interesting to see how that balance plays out in the years to come. Absolutely. We've talked a lot about medical cannabis and the whole legalization question, but there's one more piece to this puzzle. And what's that? The CBD market. The article, it actually talked about how the CBD scene in Greece is booming. Right, right. It's interesting how that's kind of developing alongside everything else. Yes, it is. And we'll definitely dive into that more when we come back. Welcome back to the Deep Dive. So before we wrap things up with cannabis in Greece, we gotta talk about CBD. Right, like we were saying, it's a whole market that's really taken off over there. It is, and for those who might not be totally up to speed. Let's do a quick CBD 101. Back to basics, okay, sure. So what is it and why is everyone so, so into it? Okay, so CBD, it stands for cannabidiol. It's one of a bunch of different compounds you find in the cannabis plant. And the big thing about CBD is it's not psychoactive, unlike THC. So you're not gonna get high. Nope, you got it. No giggling fits or uncontrollable munchies with CBD. Good to know. But what's really interesting is all the research showing all these potential benefits. Okay, like what? Well, reducing anxiety, inflammation, helping with sleep, pain management, all sorts of things. Wow, no wonder it's like this huge wellness thing now. Exactly, exactly. What does the CBD scene in Greece actually look like? Where do you find it? Oh, it's pretty much everywhere. Health stores, specialty shops, online, you name it. Oils, topicals, edibles, capsules, they got it all. Okay, so they definitely embrace the CBD craze. For sure. But the article, it went a step further. It actually recommended a specific spot in Athens. Oh yeah, where? Puff & Pass. Puff & Pass. It's on IFES 221 in Athens. And they're known for having a really good selection of CBD products. So if you're in Athens and you're looking for some CBD. Puff & Pass. Puff & Pass, got it. But as we wrap up our deep dive here, let's zoom out for a second. Big picture. What's the future for cannabis in Greece? That's the big question, isn't it? They're playing it cautious with medical cannabis, super strict on recreational use, but then they're all in on CBD. It's hard to say what's next. It really is. It's like they're trying to find their footing. Yeah, trying to balance those traditional views with how the world's changing. Exactly, exactly. I mean, Greece has a pretty conservative culture. Right. Full legalization, that might be a tough sell. But they also see what's happening in other countries. The economic potential. Right. They're not oblivious to that. Yeah, for sure. So maybe it's like a wait and see approach. Keep an eye on things, see how it all unfolds. It could be. It could be. They're testing the waters with medical and CBD. Seeing how people react. Maybe waiting for the EU to make some bigger moves. Yeah, it's like a fascinating case study. A country trying to navigate these complex issues, figuring out their own path forward in a world where cannabis is changing so rapidly. Absolutely, absolutely. And that's what makes it all so interesting to talk about. Definitely. But we wanna hear from you, our listeners. What do you think is gonna happen with cannabis in Greece? Will they stick with their current approach? Or will they follow some of these other countries and go for broader legalization? Head over to our social media and let us know your thoughts, your predictions, your hopes, your fears, all of it. You wanna hear it all? Yeah. And on that note, that brings us to the end of our deep dive into the world of cannabis laws in Greece. It's been a journey. It has, it has. But like always, there's always more to learn, more to explore. So until next time, keep diving deep and keep those questions coming.