One of the leaders in the global efforts to decriminalize and regulate cannabis, Colombia today has some of the most cannabis-friendly laws on the planet. Today, the cultivation of cannabis for both medical cannabis and recreational purposes is legal in all parts of Colombia. But legal doesn’t necessarily mean unregulated, so while Colombia does allow the cultivation of cannabis, there are laws and restrictions in place to regulate this activity.
In this article, we will discuss the laws on cultivating cannabis in Colombia, the requirements and restrictions involved, and other vital information you might need to know to start cultivating cannabis in Colombia.
Is Cultivating Cannabis in Colombia Legal?
Yes, the cultivation of cannabis is legal in Colombia. Residents in Colombia are allowed by the Colombian Marijuana Law to cultivate cannabis both for personal and business purposes. But as stated earlier, legal doesn’t mean unregulated. While you are allowed to grow cannabis in the country, large-scale cannabis cultivation is strictly regulated and there are restrictions on how many plants you can grow for personal/recreational use.
Colombia’s Law on Personal Cultivation of Cannabis
Colombia’s cannabis law allows for the self-cultivation of cannabis for recreational purposes. Individuals looking to consume cannabis for recreational purposes are allowed to cultivate their own supply at home. However, there are a few restrictions on self-cultivating cannabis for recreational purposes. These include:
- Age Restrictions
Only adults of legal age are allowed to cultivate and consume cannabis in Colombia. While cannabis is legal in the country, it is strictly prohibited for minors, which in Colombia means everyone under 18.
- Quantity Limit
Self-cultivation of cannabis in Colombia is limited to a maximum of 20 plants at any given time. Individuals are allowed to grow no more than 20 cannabis plants for their personal consumption. Anything more would be considered illegal.
- Private Cultivation
Self-cultivation of cannabis in Colombia is restricted to cultivation on private property. This can either be property owned by the individual cultivating the plants or property they have legal rights to e.g. legally rented or leased property.
- No Commercialization
Commercialization of cannabis for recreational purposes remains illegal in Colombia, so while residents are allowed to cultivate and consume recreational cannabis, selling it remains illegal. As such, individuals involved in self-cultivation are prohibited from selling their cultivated cannabis.
- Possession Limit
Just as there is a limit on how many plants you are allowed to cultivate per time, there’s also a limit on how much recreational cannabis can be in your possession at any given time in Colombia. The limit is 20 plants. Having over that amount in your possession is considered illegal by Colombia’s marijuana laws.
Breaking any of the rules above would be considered a violation of the country’s laws and could be punishable by confiscation, the payment of fines, or in extreme cases, a jail term.
Colombia’s Law on the Large-Scale Cultivation of Cannabis
Despite the fact that the commercialization of recreational cannabis remains illegal within the country, Colombia today boasts a thriving marijuana market. While it remains illegal to cultivate cannabis on a large scale with the goal of selling for recreational use remains illegal, large-scale cultivation for medical, research, and industrial use has been legal in the country since 2016. In 2021, the Colombian cannabis law was further amended, lifting the ban on the exportation of dried cannabis flowers.
You may also be interested in this article: What are the Laws on Exportation of Cannabis in Colombia?
While the large-scale cultivation of cannabis is legal in Colombia, this is not to say just anyone can begin the large-scale cultivation of cannabis for industrial or export purposes. To cultivate cannabis on a large scale in Colombia, you would require a cannabis cultivation license. There are two types of this license available in Colombia:
- Psychoactive Cannabis Cultivation License
- Non-Psychoactive Cannabis Cultivation License
Psychoactive Cannabis Cultivation License
The psychoactive cannabis cultivation license is a government-issued cannabis cultivation license that grants individuals and organizations permission to legally cultivate and store cannabis as well as produce seeds for sale.
Trivia: These seeds are what can then be purchased by individuals looking to self-cultivate cannabis for recreational use.
To get a Colombian Cannabis Cultivation License (for psychoactive cannabis), you are required by law to provide:
- License for the cultivation of psychoactive cannabis plants: The cost of this license is 4,356 UVT, equivalent to approximately $47,702,556 COP (according to the Colombian justice ministry).
- A real estate registration ID (for the land you are going to be cultivating the cannabis on).
- In the case where the land to be used doesn’t belong to you, you’d need a right of use or any other such document that proves you have the right to make use of the property.
- Contract for harvest workers
- Contract with buyers (if the cultivated cannabis isn’t intended to be used by you).
Non-Psychoactive Cannabis Cultivation License
Colombia provides a separate type of license for individuals and organizations looking to cultivate non-psychoactive cannabis plants also known as hemp. In Colombia, this is a classification of cannabis plants with 1% THC or less.
The requirement for getting this type of cannabis cultivation license is practically the same as that of getting a psychoactive cannabis cultivation license except for the fee which is significantly cheaper:
- License for the cultivation of non-psychoactive cannabis plants: This license costs 1,487 UVT, approximately $16,284,137 COP (according to the Colombian justice ministry)
- A real estate registration ID (for the land you are going to be cultivating the cannabis on).
- In the case where the land to be used doesn’t belong to you, you’d need a right of use or any other such document that proves you have the right to make use of the property.
- Contract for harvest workers
- Contract with buyers (if the cultivated cannabis isn’t intended to be used by you.
Additionally, the mentioned fees are updated annually, so it is recommended to verify the current rates before applying.
Conclusion
The cultivation of cannabis in Colombia is legal to varying extents. Depending on the purpose of cultivation—for recreational or industrial use—and the type of cannabis to be cultivated, the requirement might vary. Cultivation of cannabis for recreational use, while legal in the country, remains restricted to personal use and self-cultivators are expected to grow no more than 20 plants at a time. However, there is no need for a license for this sort of cultivation. On the other hand, large-scale cultivation requires government-issued licenses which typically attract a fee and strict requirements.
