Is Marijuana Legal in Côte d’Ivoire?

The medical and recreational use of marijuana is illegal in Côte d’Ivoire (the Ivory Coast).

According to the country’s 1988 law on suppressing trafficking and illicit use of narcotic drugs, cannabis is considered an illegal substance.

Illegal cannabis trafficking and commerce represent a major issue in the West African country, which has among the highest seizure rates for contraband cannabis on the African continent.

Those found guilty of simple possession or engaging in the illegal production or trafficking of marijuana may face harsh penalties from the country’s law enforcement professionals.

Medical Marijuana Laws in Côte d’Ivoire

The medical use of cannabis is illegal in the Ivory Coast.

The possession, consumption, cultivation, and sale of cannabis are illegal in Côte d’Ivoire, according to Law No. 88-686, 1988, which details the suppression of trafficking and illicit use of narcotic drugs.

Côte d’Ivoire’s Inter-ministerial Committee for the Fight against Drugs (CILAD) upholds the country’s drug legislation and targets simple possession, marijuana use, drug trafficking, and other drug offenses.

In May 2022, the Côte d’Ivoire Senate’s General, Institutional, and Local Authorities Affairs Committee passed a new bill to amend the country’s existing drug laws. One of the bill’s major changes concerns how the state views drug users.

The Minister of Interior and Security Diomandé Vagondo, who brought the bill before the Senate, emphasized that the old law was repressive and viewed drug users as delinquents.

The new bill focuses on providing therapeutic or rehabilitative assistance to those who use cannabis or other substances for recreational purposes.

The new law also outlines the need for greater cooperation between states or districts to fight against illegal drug trafficking and commerce.

Still, harsh penalties exist for transgressing the country’s strict drug laws.

Individuals found guilty of simple possession or cannabis consumption may be fined or imprisoned for three to five years.

Those found guilty of trafficking marijuana or other drugs may be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, depending on the quantity of cannabis found in their possession.

There is no indication that the Côte d’Ivoire’s laws differentiate between THC-rich cannabis and low-/no THC cannabidiol (CBD) products, including hemp-derived CBD oils, gummies, and other such products.

This would suggest that CBD is also illegal in Côte d’Ivoire.

What to Know about Cannabis in Côte d’Ivoire

Like many African countries, Côte d’Ivoire has articulated a strong position against the illegal trafficking of cannabis and other narcotics.

Drug trafficking is particularly problematic in African countries such as the Ivory Coast.

Some argue it undermines economic development, destabilizes the country, incites gang wars, and increases corruption.

Others argue that the criminalization of drugs and their use, such as cannabis, instead of treating it as a public health issue, is the root of many of these problems.

In an effort to reduce drug trafficking, the country participates in diverse anti-trafficking initiatives and also issues harsh penalties to those who break the law.

There is no indication that this will be subject to change anytime soon.

Côte d’Ivoire Works With Neighboring Countries to Fight Drug Trafficking

Côte d’Ivoire is part of a number of initiatives to fight against illegal cannabis and narcotics trafficking, such as the Organized Crime: West African Response to Trafficking (OCWAR–T) project alongside Nigeria.

Côte d’Ivoire signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the 7th of November 2021 to target and curb the illicit possession, production, manufacture, and trafficking of cannabis and other psychotropic substances or their precursors.

The two countries have since carried out a number of simulation exercises and initiatives to help slow the flow of cannabis and other illicit narcotics across the borders of both countries.

Cannabis-Related Crimes Are Punished Harshly in Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire authorities often issue harsh penalties to those who break the law to reduce cannabis-related crimes, despite evidence to the contrary that such penalties are effective at deterring drug use or trafficking.

In one recent incident in 2021, a 25-year-old grower was arrested by agents of the anti-drug police (PAD) when his cannabis field was discovered in the region of Bin-Houyé.

He was sentenced to ten years and fined one million CFA francs — approximately 1680 USD.

In other recent cases, people found guilty of cultivating cannabis have been placed into custody by the authorities, and their crops have been destroyed.

Between 2017 and 2018, 286 tons of drugs were seized by authorities, most of which were cannabis, cocaine, and tramadol.

Can You Grow Cannabis in Côte d’Ivoire?

Cannabis cultivation is illegal in Côte d’Ivoire.

Nonetheless, illegal cannabis cultivation has increased significantly since the onset of the country’s cocoa crisis in the 1980s, which saw the price of cocoa beans dramatically decline.

Farmers who once turned to cocoa crops as their main source of income tried their hand at growing cannabis, particularly in the southwestern region of Bas-Sassandra.

What’s more, Côte d’Ivoire farmers could produce a comparable profit from limited cannabis crops as they once did from vast cocoa plantations.

The southern part of Côte d’Ivoire is known for its humid and equatorial climate, which provides ideal growing conditions for marijuana.

While some of the cannabis grown illicitly in Côte d’Ivoire is destined for overseas markets, much of the country’s marijuana production is also consumed domestically by young people.

The Bottom Line

Medical marijuana and recreational marijuana are both illegal in Côte d’Ivoire.

The Western African country delivers harsh penalties to those found guilty of marijuana possession, marijuana use, cannabis cultivation, or other related drug offenses.

Given that Côte d’Ivoire is currently focused on slowing the flow of illicit cannabis across its borders, there’s no indication that the country will legalize recreational use or create a legal medical marijuana program anytime in the near future.