Cannabis in Syria

Cannabis in Syria is illegal. Under the policies of the government of Bashar al-Assad, many cannabis offences, from simple use to trafficking, reportedly often carried a sentence of life imprisonment.

History

Under President Shukri al-Quwatli (1943–1949), the cultivating of cannabis was banned in Syria, though authorities noted they had little ability to prevent the Druze of the Jabal al-Druze region from producing hashish.

In 1993, Syria enacted Law No. 2 which authorizes punishment, up to and including capital punishment, for the manufacture, transporting, and sale of narcotics.

Civil War

As the country has become destabilised as a result of civil war, people living in areas controlled by Kurdish separatists have begun growing cannabis as a way of making money to fight poverty.