Whether or not cannabis should be legalized is a debate that has raged on for decades.
Many countries and states in the US have decriminalized the drug in some way but those caught dealing the drug still face harsh punishments and in some countries they could face the death penalty.
So are there any places that marijuana use is decriminalized and where can smoking a spliff lead to the death penalty?
Here’s everything you need to know about cannabis and the law…
Where is marijuana legal?
Even though the majority of nations have banned it, a significant number will not prosecute for the personal use of cannabis.
In Australia, Puerto Rico, Poland, Czech Republic, Canada, Croatia and Macedonia it is legal for medicinal purposes in some form, and in Turkey for the cultivation for the same purpose.
In Uruguay, Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio Oregon and Washington, Rhode Island, Vermont in the US, Spain, Slovenia, Netherlands, Jamaica, Columbia and Chile it is legal or decriminalized in some form.
Where are the harshest marijuana laws in the world?
In Japan, the Cannabis Control Law can dish out a five year prison sentence for smoking a single joint… along with hard labor.
Similar sentences are dished out for possession in Malaysia and Indonesia.
While weed smokers in the Philippines aren’t immediately thrown in jail, if you’re caught with the drug you are sent to rehab for at least six months.
Repeat offenders can face a prison sentence for between six and twelve years.
If you thought these punishments were harsh, they’re nothing compared to the penalty given to those who deal the drug.
Those caught trafficking or selling marijuana (even in small quantities) can be sentenced to DEATH in the UAE, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
In 2012, an unnamed Brit, 21, faced capital punishment in Abu Dhabi for dealing 20g of the weed worth £262.
Will cannabis be legalized in the UK?
Senior MPs have called on Theresa May to legalize cannabis in order to make more money for the treasury kitty.
The marijuana trade in Britain is currently worth £6.8bn a year and could be quite a money maker, as well as helping people with varying conditions.
When California went green last year, experts predicted that the US state could take in BILLIONS in tax revenues from weed sales.
But The Home Office recently revealed that there are no plans to legalize the drug.
Nearly three years ago, a petition which called for cannabis to become legal was signed by more than 150,000 people, which means it must receive a formal response from the government.
It was debated on October 12, 2015, and closed after the government responded with: “Substantial scientific evidence shows cannabis is a harmful drug that can damage human health.
“There are no plans to legalize cannabis as it would not address the harm to individuals and communities.”
