Can I keep cannabis for personal use in Malta?
Yes, but within clear limits — and where you smoke matters as much as how much you hold. After the 2021 reform, an adult aged 18 or over may carry up to 7 grams of cannabis in public without committing an offence, keep up to 50 grams of dried cannabis at home, and grow up to 4 plants per household (not per person). The Authority on the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) is set up under Cap 628, but the possession figures themselves live in Cap 537, the Drug Dependence (Treatment not Imprisonment) Act. The myth: that everything is now legal and you can smoke wherever you like — it is not. It is an offence to smoke in public, carrying a €235 fine, and consuming in front of anyone under 18 brings a €300 to €500 fine. Between 7 and 28 grams you are not jailed but face a Commissioner for Justice with a €50 to €100 penalty. Possession over 28 grams, selling and trafficking remain serious drug offences.
📋 The rules
- An adult aged 18 or over may carry up to 7g of cannabis in public without an offence; above that, search and seizure can follow.
- At home you may keep up to 50g of dried cannabis and grow 4 plants per household, regardless of how many residents there are.
- Plants must not be visible from the street or accessible to children; breaching this brings a €300 to €500 fine.
- Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations (CHRAs) — non-profit clubs registered with ARUC — may distribute up to 7g a day and 50g a month to a member.
- Selling, trafficking and possession of over 28g remain criminal offences under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Cap 101).
🔓 Exceptions
- Medicinal cannabis follows a separate prescription regime and does not track these personal-use limits.
- Between 7 and 28 grams is not an arrest but a Commissioner for Justice penalty of €50 to €100 — not "legal", but not jail either.
- Driving under the influence of cannabis remains a separate traffic offence, and these rules do not shield you from it.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The limits are not just guidance. If you carry more than 7g in public or keep more than 50g at home, the Police may seize it and take you to court. Between 7 and 28 grams you face a €50 to €100 penalty before a Commissioner for Justice, while over 28 grams can be treated as possession suspected of trafficking and falls under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Cap 101), with far harsher penalties. Smoking in public carries a €235 fine, and consuming in front of a minor — even in a private place — brings €300 to €500. Growing plants somewhere other than your registered address can cost €700 to €1,000. A CHRA that lets an under-18 onto its premises faces €3,000 to €10,000. Beyond the fines, a drug-related conviction can leave a trace on your record and affect work and travel.
📎 Official sources
- Legislation Malta · Authority on the Responsible Use of Cannabis Act (Cap 628) →
- Legislation Malta · Drug Dependence (Treatment not Imprisonment) Act (Cap 537) — limits and penalties →
- ARUC · Malta's cannabis regulator →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I smoke a joint in the street?
No. Smoking cannabis in public, or anywhere the smell is a nuisance to others, is an offence carrying a €235 fine. If you smoke in front of someone under 18 — even inside your home — the penalty rises to €300 to €500, so a private home is no guarantee of immunity.
How many plants can I grow at home?
Up to four plants per household, not per person — so a family of four is still limited to four plants in total. The plants must not be visible from the street or accessible to children, and you must grow them at your registered home address.
What is a CHRA and can I buy cannabis from one?
A CHRA is a non-profit association, registered with ARUC, that may grow and distribute cannabis only to its own members. A member may receive up to 7g a day and 50g a month; commercial shops selling recreational cannabis are still not allowed in Malta.
Does 7 to 28 grams make me a criminal?
Not in the sense of jail or a criminal record: this band is dealt with by a Commissioner for Justice with a €50 to €100 penalty. It is not "legal" though — it is an administrative breach, and possession of more than 28 grams becomes a serious criminal offence again.
Which law actually sets the possession limits?
Many people assume everything is in the Cannabis Act, but the personal-possession figures — the 7g, the 50g and the 4 plants — sit in Cap 537, the Drug Dependence Act. Cap 628 simply creates ARUC and regulates the harm reduction associations.
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