May I carry a small amount of cannabis for personal use?
No. Possessing cannabis in Slovenia is not allowed — but it is not a crime, it is a misdemeanour. The Production and Trade in Illicit Drugs Act (ZPPPD) sets, in Article 33, a fine of 42 to 209 euros for possessing a small amount for single personal use, and 209 to 626 euros for possession that does not meet that condition; the figures come from the conversion of old tolar fines. If you pay within 8 days, the fine is halved. Cannabis is classified as an illicit drug in Group I, so the police seize it whenever they find it. The myth everyone repeats is that cannabis here is decriminalised and therefore legal — it is decriminalised only in the sense that personal possession means a fine, not prison. Growing, selling or supplying it, however, is not a misdemeanour but a criminal offence under Article 186 of the Criminal Code (KZ-1), punishable by one to ten years in prison — even a few plants on a balcony can mean a criminal case, not just a fine.
📋 The rules
- Possessing an illicit drug is a misdemeanour under Article 33 of ZPPPD, not a crime; for a small amount for single personal use the fine is 42 to 209 euros.
- For possession that does not meet the small-amount-for-personal-use condition, the higher fine of 209 to 626 euros applies; the amounts are conversions of old tolar fines and are not pegged to the minimum wage.
- Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) is classified in Group I under the decree on the classification of illicit drugs; the police seize it on any offence, however small the quantity.
- If the fine is paid within 8 days of the payment order, under the misdemeanours act it is generally reduced by half — the only lawful route to a lower amount.
- Growing, producing, selling or supplying cannabis is a criminal offence under Article 186 of KZ-1, punishable by one to ten years in prison — this is no longer a misdemeanour but a criminal case.
🔓 Exceptions
- Industrial hemp with a low THC content and some products from it (e.g. CBD without psychoactive THC) do not count as an illicit drug, but the line is often disputed and depends on the actual THC content.
- Medicines based on cannabinoids are available on prescription; some cannabinoids have been reclassified for medical use, which does not amount to a right to grow at home or to possess freely.
- An addict who enters a treatment or social-care programme may be treated more leniently by law; a one-off small possession can end more mildly, but that is a matter of discretion, not a right.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Personal possession does not carry prison but a fine of 42 to 209 euros for a small amount, or 209 to 626 euros otherwise; paid within 8 days it is halved. The police seize and destroy the drug, and the offence is entered in the misdemeanour record. The consequences are often not visible at once: the entry can hinder obtaining a firearms licence, certain professional permits and visas for third countries, and for minors the police notify the parents and the social work centre. Far more serious is growing or dealing: that is a criminal offence under Article 186 of KZ-1, carrying one to ten years in prison, which means a criminal record that follows a person in employment and travel. The court may also order the confiscation of assets acquired through trafficking, as well as of a vehicle with a compartment specially fitted for transporting drugs. Anyone who gives a drug to a minor or sells it in or near a school is treated under the aggravated form of the offence.
📎 Official sources
- PISRS · statute register (ZPPPD and KZ-1, Article 186) →
- Police · illicit drugs and procedures →
- NIJZ · illicit drugs and risky use →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I go to prison if the police catch me with a gram of weed?
Not for merely possessing a small amount for personal use — that is a misdemeanour with a fine of 42 to 209 euros, not a crime, and does not mean prison. Prison is reserved for growing, selling or supplying cannabis, which Article 186 of the Criminal Code treats as a criminal offence punishable by one to ten years.
Is cannabis decriminalised in Slovenia?
Only partly, and not the way many think: personal possession of a small amount is decriminalised in that it is a misdemeanour and not a crime, but it is not legal, since it is still punished with a fine. Growing and trafficking remain criminal offences, so decriminalising possession does not mean cannabis may be held, bought or grown.
How many cannabis plants may I grow at home for my own use?
None in law — growing cannabis is a criminal offence under Article 186 of KZ-1, regardless of whether the crop is meant for sale or only for yourself. Even a few plants on a balcony or in a flat can trigger a criminal case, since the law sets no permitted number of plants for personal use.
Is CBD legal?
Products from industrial hemp with a low THC content and no psychoactive effect are in principle not an illicit drug and are available on the market. However, the line between permitted CBD and prohibited cannabis is often disputed, so a product with a higher THC content can still amount to a misdemeanour or even a criminal offence.
Is the fine recorded anywhere and does it have consequences?
The offence is entered in the misdemeanour record, which can later hinder obtaining a firearms licence, certain professional permits or visas for third countries. For minors the police notify the parents and the social work centre, so the consequences go beyond simply paying the 42-to-209-euro fine.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
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