⚠️This fact has been debunked
Cannabis is de jure illegal in North Korea per their 2005 Narcotics Control Law. This is a widespread internet myth. Countries with actual full legalization include Uruguay (2013) and Canada (2018).
The only country where cannabis is completely legal and du jure is North Korea.
No, North Korea Hasn't Legalized Weed (But These Countries Have)
If you've scrolled through social media or late-night Reddit threads, you've probably seen this "fun fact": North Korea is the only place where cannabis is completely legal. It sounds wild, it's shocking enough to share, and it's completely false.
Cannabis is actually illegal in North Korea according to the country's 2005 Narcotics Control Law, which explicitly lists cannabis and THC as controlled narcotics. A Swedish ambassador confirmed in 2017 that drugs, including marijuana, are illegal and prosecuted. So where did this myth come from?
How the Myth Spread
The confusion stems from a few factors. First, North Korea is secretive, so reliable information is scarce—creating fertile ground for rumors. Second, industrial hemp (low-THC cannabis) is legal and widely grown for textiles and consumer goods. People conflated hemp production with recreational legalization.
Early reports from the 2010s suggested authorities weren't strictly enforcing marijuana laws, leading some to assume it was legal. But "not always enforced" and "legal" are very different things. The internet ran with the more sensational version, and here we are.
Where Is Weed Actually Legal?
If you're looking for countries with full, de jure cannabis legalization, there are exactly two with nationwide commercial sales:
- Uruguay – Made history in December 2013 as the first country to fully legalize recreational cannabis
- Canada – Followed in October 2018, allowing adults to possess up to 30g and grow limited plants at home
Several other countries have varying degrees of legalization: Germany, Malta, Luxembourg, and South Africa have legalized recreational use, though commercial frameworks differ. In the United States, 24 states have legalized recreational use, but it remains federally illegal.
The Bigger Picture
This myth reveals something interesting about how misinformation spreads. North Korea's reputation as an unpredictable, rule-breaking regime made the claim plausible enough to believe. Add in the industrial hemp confusion, and you've got a perfect storm for viral falsehoods.
The truth? North Korea enforces drug laws. Uruguay and Canada actually pioneered legalization. And somewhere out there, someone is still confidently telling their friends that Kim Jong-un runs a weed-friendly paradise.