Short answer

Two places let visitors buy cannabis in a store: Canada and some US states. Canada legalized sales nationwide on Oct. 17, 2018. As of 2025, 24 US states and the District of Columbia allow adult use, and stores operate in most of them. A second group of countries allows possession but blocks sales to visitors. That group includes Germany, Malta, Luxembourg, Uruguay and South Africa.

Where is Cannabis Legal: A Cost Comparison Guide

Where a visitor can buy in a store

  • Canada. Licensed retailers sell dried flower, edibles, extracts and drinks. The minimum age is 18 in Alberta, 21 in Quebec, and 19 in the other provinces and territories. Each province sets its own store rules. Ontario and Alberta allow private stores; some provinces sell through government outlets.
  • United States. Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington allow adult use, plus DC. A passport or state ID is required at the door. Stores in Virginia, Minnesota and Delaware opened later than possession rules, so check before you travel.
  • Netherlands. Coffeeshops sell up to 5 grams per person per day. Sales are tolerated, not legal. Amsterdam allows visitors. Maastricht limits entry to residents of the Netherlands.

Where possession is legal but stores do not sell to visitors

  • Germany. Since April 1, 2024, adults 18 and older may carry 25 grams in public and grow three plants at home. Cannabis social clubs opened July 1, 2024. Clubs sell to members who live in Germany. Use is banned within 100 meters of schools, playgrounds and sports grounds, and in pedestrian zones from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Malta. Adults 18 and older may hold up to 7 grams and grow four plants. Sales run through member-only harm reduction associations.
  • Luxembourg. Adults may hold up to 3 grams in public and grow four plants at home. There are no retail stores.
  • Uruguay. Adult possession is legal. Pharmacy sales require registration as a resident. Visitors cannot buy in pharmacies.
  • South Africa. A 2018 Constitutional Court ruling made private use legal for adults. Retail sales are not legal.
  • Mexico. Personal possession of small amounts is decriminalized. Licensed retail stores for visitors do not exist.

Places that changed the rules

Thailand removed cannabis from its narcotics list in June 2022, then reversed course. In June 2025 the health ministry required a medical prescription for sales and stopped issuing licenses for recreational shops. Enforcement varies by province. Check current rules before you book.

Where Is Cannabis Legal? Age Limits in the US and Abroad

Rules that follow a visitor

  • ID. Bring a passport. Store staff check age at the door.
  • Public use. Canada bans use in many public places and in vehicles. Germany limits use near schools and in busy walking zones during the day.
  • Borders. Moving cannabis across a national border is a crime in most countries. US federal law lists cannabis as a Schedule I drug. US Customs and Border Protection can deny entry to a visitor who admits to cannabis use.
  • Airports. Airports in US legal states sit on federal land. Do not fly with cannabis, even on a domestic route.
  • Return home. Your home country's law applies when you land. Several countries treat a positive test or an admission as grounds for a ban.