Photo by splifr
Update: Due to the changing nature of marijuana laws and your comments, we will be adding regular posts about the practice of smoking pot around the world and related international laws. If interested, please view the first in the series: Marijuana Laws in Southeast Asia.
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From an American kid hitting a bong while watching Harold and Kumar to a Moroccan enjoying hash with his afternoon tea, people all over the world smoke cannabis.
Despite the popularity of weed and hash, most governments in the world have deemed it harmful to the individual and society as a whole.
There are only 11 nations in the world where weed and hash have been decriminalized. A handful of countries impose mandatory prison sentences and other harsh punishments for the possession or sale of any form of weed and hash. Another handful look the other way when dealing with cannabis.
Some places that are easy on weed heads can be broken up by region:
Latin America
In Latin America, cannabis is tolerated and/or decriminalized in most countries, with the exception of Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras and Guatemala. Marijuana grows well in Central and South America and is a large part of the economy.
Governments tend to have more to worry about than whether someone is smoking a joint. For travelers, this means that smoking in South America is probably okay, but caution should be used.
Only Peru considers cannabis to be a legal drug, provided you are not in possession of another drug. I get the impression that throughout Latin America, the tolerance doesn’t typically extend to tourists, especially if the police can get a bribe out of it, but you should never travel with pot and risk being searched.
I would highly recommend caution throughout Mexico, Panama, Guatemala and even Costa Rica. Although weed is sold to tourists all the time in quantities up to 1/4 pound, those buyers in turn, are often set up for the policia.
In this particular region, weed may be tolerated, decriminalized or even legal up to small amounts (usually about 20 grams), but as always, keep a low profile.
Photo by martin cleary
Here’s a quick break down:
- ARGENTINA: Decriminalized for personal use in small amounts and for consumption only in private locations. Public consumption is generally accepted among the young adults and overlooked by police in the suburbs.
- BOLIVIA: Possession illegal. No move to decriminalize.
- BRAZIL: Possession illegal.
- CHILE: Personal use of marijuana in small quantities on a private place is not against the law. More than one person using it at the same place is considered as a group and thus is considered illegal.
- COLOMBIA: Possession of small quantities of all drugs legal; permitted “personal dose” for marijuana is 20 grams.
- ECUADOR: Possession illegal. No move to decriminalize.
- PARAGUAY: Possession illegal. No move to decriminalize.
- PERU: Possession of up to 8 grams (0.28 oz) of marijuana is legal as long as one isn’t in possession of another drug. However, I’ve read some first hand accounts about the police being fairly strict. Caution is urged.
- URUGUAY: Possession for personal use not penalized; law does not specify quantity for “personal” amount.
- VENEZUELA: Possession of up to 20 grams not punished.
- BELIZE: Illegal, but use by locals is slightly tolerated.
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GUATEMALA: Highly illegal. Possession by Guatemalans in not normally prosecuted for personal use, but tourists are commonly arrested and jailed for several days before being released.
- HONDURAS: Illegal, but use by locals is slightly tolerated.
- PANAMA: Illegal
- COSTA RICA: Illegal, but tolerated. Watch out for being set up.
Europe
Europe is another region where cannabis is generally tolerated, decriminalized or even legal.
We all know about the Netherlands. It is legal to buy and smoke herb in the Netherlands, in amounts up to five grams per person per day. People regularly smoke in public parks and anywhere else they can find a bench and a view.
In the Netherlands, one notices that tourists (especially American tourists) go a little overboard and smoke their way into oblivion. The only caution I would take here is making sure you don’t get duped at the coffee shops or robbed by opportunistic thugs.
- GERMANY and BELGIUM: decriminalized. This means that possessing a small amount is ok, but puffing in public and selling weed is not.
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SPAIN and FRANCE: smoking at home and the possession of a few grams will get you searched and checked out at worst.
- ITALY: possession of more than a gram could result in a search and seizure.
- GREECE: illegal. Really tough on weed.
- DENMARK: illegal. Very uncool towards cannabis ever since authorities bulldozed the Christiana district in Copenhagen.
- MACEDONIA: decriminalized.
- SERBIA: looks away if it looks at all.
- SLOVENIA: has no police (just kidding, but it is a relaxed place).
- BOSNIA: illegal but tolerated.
- CROATIA: illegal and not tolerated.
- SCANDINVIAN COUNTRIES: laws are quite strict concerning weed and it is not advisable to get caught smoking
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Photo by Shira Golding
North Africa
The other region where weed is ok is North Africa. In Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco, locals smoke hash, a fine alternative to alcohol and accepted in society. However, this societal norm does not necessarily apply to tourists.
In other words, locals may be puffing, but if the laws still consider what you are doing as illegal, a cop can still make money off you. I recommend smoking with friends only in this region.
- EGYPT: Illegal, but not strictly enforced, just don’t smoke in public. Also, don’t carry large quantities unless you’d like to see the inside of an Egyptian jail.
- MOROCCO: Illegal. Not recommended to smoke in public or to carry more than a few grams at a time–whatever you can quickly swallow or throw away. Tourists are usually let off with fines, but technically can be jailed for 4-10 years. Even more if you’re suspected of smuggling.
Having said all that, these are the nations in which cannabis is legal for consumption and where you should be able to smoke in peace:
Photo courtesy of author
- BELGIUM: Up to 5 grams.
- CZECH REPUBLIC: Personal use.
- GERMANY: Up to 5 grams.
- INDIA: All good.
- MACEDONIA: Up to 5 grams.
- NETHERLANDS: Coffee shops and parks, personal use.
- PAKISTAN: Ummm… All good, but as a tourist I would watch my back and smoke with Pakistani friends in their homes.
- PERU: Personal use, up to 5 grams.
- RUSSIA: Personal use, up to 5 grams If you are caught, you will have to pay low fines as possession of small amounts is still illegal
- VENEZUELA: Personal use, up to 5 grams.
- AUSTRALIA: Up to 50grams! (Certain states of Australia have decriminalized marijuana possession. In Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland one can be simply ticketed for up to 50 grams. If found in possession with intent to supply, convictions apply)
I use “up to five grams” because I like to err on the side of caution. I have smoked publicly with fishermen in Thailand, tea merchants in Egypt, farmers in SW China and all my homies throughout Europe and the US. I will continue to do so.
People all over the planet understand the need to just relax and do your thing after a long day. Some do it with alcohol, some with tea, some with weed, and some with a book.
Stick to the nations numbered above and if you need to puff elsewhere, be careful.
Community Connection
Headed to Amsterdam? Check out 7 Coffee Shops in Amsterdam that are Good to Go – and, while you’re at it, 10 Things to do in Amsterdam Besides Smoking Pot. Also be sure to give a read to Tim Patterson’s Tripping Out On The Road: Drugs, Alcohol and Travel.
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269 Comments... join the discussion!
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I just got back from 3 months in Peru. Weed is exceedingly easy to get there, especially in heavily touristy areas, such as Lima. I was offered pot far more often than I even wanted it. Highlight of the trip – sparking a bowl in the Ancient City, one of the seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu. Epic as all get out.
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INDIA NOT GOOD. Know that first, then light up!!
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its actually called "the hot box cafe" it is in kensington market, downtown toronto. and you have to spend $4.20 you are thinking about another place, its just around the corner though.
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Monkey puffer doesn't have anything to do with black people it just means being foolish about it…….. don't jump to conclusions about old terms things change man.
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Very informative… I've actually never smoked the stuff, but I couldn't agree more with the reasons to legalize. But with govts it has NEVER been about "protecting citizens"… rather bleeding them dry, controlling them, and robbing them. It doesn't matter whether it's weed, alcohol, medicinal herbs, pharmaceuticals, land ownership, or the news media it's always the same bullshit if you follow the money-trail. The US is the perfect example. I think if Jefferson and Franklin were alive they'd be in total agreement–and pissed at the situation in general! I'll be looking to enjoy my first "vaporization" real soon!
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I don't think germany tolerates weed at all. my boyfriend and i had a small amount on us when going from france to germany and got caught by german police and got a fee and they told us it was definately not OK in germany, and if we were caught again we would be in big trouble. And in Munchen we saw the police searching several young people in the the streets and we even got stopped riding our tourist bicycles peacefully around town and my boyfriend got searched again. so i would say you should not smoke in germany, not in the south at least. Berlin and Hamburg are probably not as bad.
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you're right about Denver, and not Colorado in general. good clarification…
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Ok my boyfriend is a police officer in Sydney. This is the actual law ok, you can carry under 30 grams and recieve a "cannabis caution" which is nothing, it goes on file and you can recieve 2 of them before you will be charged, but thats only if you have no other convictions. Thats the rule in NSW and he doesnt know about other states.
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eigths (half quarters) are 25$ in ottawa and 4:20 on parliments front law attracts hundreds each year hassle free
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interesting and yet highly inaccurate (and in some says flat-out ignorant) article. guatemala: wrong. it's much, much chiller than that. I challenge you to back up your facts with more than one actual story.
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Weed weed weed, although it's illegal in most of the countries but still some cop understands.
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What about Hungary dude?
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Smoking weed or carrying any amount of weed in large brazilian cities will certainly get you in trouble. If you're caught with over 5 grams, you're immediately considered a drug dealer and might get yourself sentenced to 5-20 years in prison. If you're lucky, you'll just have to pay a huge bribe to the cop, but.. I wouldn't risk it.
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its true.. in places like vancouver. I smoke walking down the streets all the time, whether cops are around or not. or park benches… we also have the Amsterdam Cafe which is similar to the place talked about in toronto on this thread. But else where its a little more conservative. And large amounts can definitely get you in trouble for possession anywhere. In Edmonton, I was kicked off the bus for having a pipe with resin in it, plus they confiscated my pipe.
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Miller is right about decriminalization in Colorado. Possession of < 1oz of mj in Colorado is a petty offense (think parking ticket) with a $100 fine.
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what cracks me up more is that cancer causing cigarettes are legal and pot is not
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Estes Park is beautiful! I used to take rides through there all the time with my mom. Mendecino county, Cali you can grow 6 plants.
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…you've got to have your numbers mixed up. if the weed was "pretty good" then you would have passed out before the meal even started.
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dont forget new york! i think that a lot of the northeastern states have now made marijuana decriminalized. in new york theres a 100 dollar fine for under 25 grams. pipes/bongs are different stories though.
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calling BS on guatemala – was just there and it's easy, super high quality and no problem if you're discreet. the area around the lake in particular is known as an "almost-legal" zone.
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Being Polish I guess I should let you know what the scene is like in Poland at the beginning of 2009. For those who don't know, Poland is a big country right in the geographical middle of Europe. The current government calling itself liberal will give a Pole a one year suspended sentence if he/she is caught with pot on them. Further offence will be punished by unconditional imprisonment of up to 2 years. Another suspended sentence is possible though if you are young and have no other criminal records. It is not easy to buy pot or hash and a tourist risks getting cheated – the stuff will be of poor quality or not the right thing at all. It is very unlikely you will be set up for the police as squaling is completely against Polish mentality. The scene was much better before 2005 when the leftist party (SLD) was in power. Small amount for personal use was allowed. Some cops may still divide your lot in two parts, take one and let you go. Dealers are hard to come by anyway.
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i live in Fort Collins Colorado and if you get caught with weed if your under 18 you get probation and shit and if you are over 18 you just get a fine of like 100 dollars. That is if it is under an ounce. if you are caught with an O or a scale you are fucked
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Wow, nothing on Southeast Asia Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia are great places to burn one with some friends
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I have been smoking for 15 yrs….every day, nearly all day long, except when I don't have any. This seems legit…me and a couple friends have sat down in a period of 2 to 3 hours smoked an ounce of Skud(great indica/sativa mix). We would all roll personal sweets and the passing begins. It is totally possible. I know people who have smoked for longer than me that can't smoke as much and people who have smoked for less time than me that can smoke more. No one here should be bold enough to make a for sure statement against smokemon415! It's ignorant! It entirely depends on ones tolerance and how often they smoke.
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Concerning Spain there is a little mistake on your data. Consume within your home premises (or other private premises) is legal. The comsuption on public spaces such as the street or a pub/club can be penalized (usually a fine) if you get caught
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God I know, where do you guys get your information? It's not legal in Australia at all, although if you smoke in your own backyard, botanic gardens or at music festivals etc no one really cares much. Just don't get caught.
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You know what, I take it back, I will talk to you. When I lived in So. Cal (close enough to Santa Monica), I still got specific strains of bud for 40 bucks (sometimes 45) an eighth, so 75 is still a huge fucking rip off. 75% of the weed on the streets here in Oregon is grown in Oregon (at least in my city), I know that for a fact
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TO: EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WHO ENJOY SMOKING POT REQUEST: Sit down, blaze up, relax and watch for cops! FROM: A fellow enthusiast 1 1 1111111 11111111 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11111111 11111111
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They have found that pot cures cancer it was discovered in Canada, im not interily sure on all the facts, but it has also cured many other alements, intresting fact is they havnt found anything it doesnt cure yet… but only when its turned into a gel, check out the net you can find the video =)
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Well… it isn't a HUGE misconception, but MJ is indeed illegal but tolerated in the Netherlands. One can buy 5 grams max in a "coffeeshop" and grow 5 plants. Be sure the buyer is an adult… If you look younger you might be asked to show some ID. Quite a lot of "allowed coffeeshops" in more conservative cities… have been closed after accidentally selling to minors once or twice. So don't mess things up to keep it nice for the local potheads
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oakland ca. measure z passed by the citizens, makes pot offenses lowest police enforcement priority, and clubs pay taxes to the state. also measure z clubs are open to 18 and over no scrip, but there hard 2 find. there are too many people gettin killed by guns to worry about potheads..
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Why were places like Southeast Asia and Mexico left out?
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why did you leave out places like jamaica
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I cannot believe they left out my home town, Durban, South Africa. Home of DP, Durban Poison (Yah I know what you were thinking
It grows all over the place, is super mellow, and they even sell it in Amsterdam. What can I say, its the only thing my town is known for, well except the beaches, curry and surfing. Aaah, homegrown. I like.
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I just read more of the posts above. Jeez man did you get ANY of the facts straight. I would say getting your facts straight would be fairly important given the fact that people may end up in jail for following your wrong advice… I should probably point out that in South Africa its illegal as well, although most cops dont really care, they have bigger fish to fry. Not worth risking it though, some have a massive chip on their shoulder. If you need to, organise from a local you trust, the hostels are full of weed as well. In fact its pretty damn easy to come by, just be careful…..
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update: cannabis has been decriminalized in Brazil, small quantity is tolerated, though no amount specified in the law. Watch out the police is hardly ever nice to deal with!
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I didn’t even bother reading past the part about weed and has being legal in the Netherlands…it is NOT. Weed and hash are tolerated, not legal.
Also, as of last fall, Christiania Denmark is still a thriving community of alternate thinkers, Although the “stalls” of old are gone, hash can be had easily along Pusher Street or in many of the cafes like the Moonfisher. A little discretion is called for these days. This has nothing to do with the drugs and everything to do with the value of the land. It mos assuredly has not been “bulldozed” Please get your facts straight prior to publishing them.
PS, why didn’t you mention the states like California (10 others) where pot has been decriminlaized and in some instances legalized? (look up the pending Ammiano legislation too). OK I’m off to the club for a vapo bag; tyhis gave me a headache.
Peace
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You’re totally wrong about Spain man, and most other countries in Europe. I’m from spain, You can have upto 20 grams of cannabis (marijuana or hash) in public and only get a fine of 300 euros. You can grow weed at home if you want to!!! Virtually anything you do in the privacy of your own home is totally OK. You can walk right into a grow shop and buy seeds legally. As long as it is for personal use you are protected by the constitution. If you know your rights (and most pot heads do back home) you can have the court give you a blood test so that you prove exactly how much you smoke a day verses how much weed you have at home. And the only way they’re going to bust in your house is if they suspect that you’re selling. I know people who got busted with a 1/4 kilo (250 grams) in public and proved it was for personal consumption because of how much pot they had in there blood stream and just paid a fine. In italy, if you get cought with marijuana they just take away your drivers license, but in saudi ariabia they take away your life. But that’s besides the point. Europe rocks. I got another friend who was caught smoking in the middle of his village and the cops yeld at him for not smoking near the sea port where they usually do it away from the general smoke. You guys need to do some research dude!!!
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Wow !!!!
You got your facts wrong about just about every place you mentioned. That’s well dangerous for dudes that like to chuff an’ puff reading your article. I mean you could be sending someone to jail or worse.
The info in the replies is enlightening and almost enuff to write a book on the subject.
I’m widely travelled in Central & S. America where I live, and wouldn’t smoke in public anywhere except at raves, parties, concerts and of course football matches.
The only place I’ve been to where a very large % smoke in public is Jamaica even though possession is illegal.
Stay wise and wise-up,
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Prague is down to blaze. <3
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Hey Dude, get your facts right and save your skin as it is never legal In India!! And , people, please do use your prudence as this article is written in 2008 and by now, half of the “OK” countries under the list here maybe having severe laws.So, behave accordinly to the occasion.
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Get your facts correct.”All good” in India?I highly doubt it.If it were they’d be selling it openly not at the back of some stadium..and if you’re caught then lemme remind you buddy the indian police has been known to give out the harshest punishments inside the cellar and no one will wink twice if they torture you and leave you only then.so before making these comments,think again ’cause other potheads might just believe you and ruin there lives..for good
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*their
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I’m surprised that you live in Asia and didn’t mention Dali in China. The Bai ethnic minority that inhabit the region cultivate cannabis in the mountains, using it for a variety of things. Women in traditional garb sell it on the street. You might get popped, but nothing a quick and easy bribe won’t take care of.
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um the thing about australia is bullshit, i live in qld you get caught with even 1g of weed and your going to jail. fix your website
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Looks like it’s time to go to Australia
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I saw that Latin America made a pretty hefty portion of the list. I have been living in Ecuador for the past nine months, and while the law is very strict about bud, I have never felt a single moment of fear smoking anywhere… at home, on the street, even around my university. I have a lot of friends here who have been to other parts of South America and have experienced the same results, that as long as you’re not too cocky or over-confident about where you smoke, you’ll be fine. I even once had a police officer catch me smoking on my favorite street, and he simply asked me to move a block over because it was out of his patrol area. Worst case scenario is you will have to bribe a cop, a hefty bribe being like twenty bucks.
As for finding pot in South America, let me debunk the myth here and now that the weed is good, especially that from Colombia. It’s NOT! Some and my gringo friends and I have coined it “Cleat Weed”, because it is as if the fútbol players come off the field after a game, pluck the dead grass out of their cleats, and then baggie it and sell it. It is absolutely horrible. If you absolutely have to find weed in any South American country, the smartest place to start looking would be any metropolitan university, as South America is becoming a much more liberal area and kids here are starting to loosen up a little, whereas most of the generation before us in this continent wouldn’t even be able to identify bud if they were smelling it right out of a clear ZipLoc.
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I live in SoCal and, while it is definitely not legal, you will probably not get cited unless you are causing trouble, last time I got pulled over for a traffic violation I realized after the fact that my weed and pipe were sitting in plain site, but the cop never even acknowledged the fact. Same story with my last few previous incidents I would watch out if your black though, or hispanic..seriously…kinda f’ed up, Also in Seattle area, Washington I generally smoke in public, often while playing Disc golf, with little worry of police.
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I originally read this article last year and recently came across it again.
I must say that it bothers me to no end that Canada was not mentioned. Considering that more Canadians smoke pot than in most countries around the world, and that we have some of the most lax attitudes about its use, it’s kind of silly leaving out good ol’ Canada.
In some of the bigger cities, you can practically walk down the street smoking a joint, and no one would complain. Also, some of the worlds best weed is cultivated in Canada, so come on and throw the dog a bone!↵
