Is Cannabis / THC legal in Argentina?

Legal status

Recreational illegal, but private personal use is not punishable under the 'Arriola' doctrine (no fixed threshold); medical cannabis legal for registered patients

Consequences if caught

Possession of a personal-use quantity (Art 14) carries 1 month–2 years. The 2009 Supreme Court "Arriola" ruling held Art 14's penalty unconstitutional for consumption in private that harms no one else (Constitution Art 19) — BUT that ruling binds only its own case: lower courts vary, police still arrest, and there is NO fixed gram threshold. DISAMBIGUATION: decriminalized is NOT legalized — sale and purchase remain criminal, and Arriola prevents a conviction, not an arrest. Trafficking (Law 23.737 Art 5) — production, import, export, sale or supply — carries 4–15 years. For cannabis specifically, the Arriola doctrine means consumption in private is not punishable, but there is no statutory gram threshold and cultivation and sale remain criminal.

If prescribed or medical

Medical cannabis is legal for registered patients only (registry-based); recreational sale and purchase remain criminal offences.

Documentation

Medical cannabis is legal for registered patients only; recreational sale and purchase remain criminal offences. Carry any controlled medicine with its prescription and original packaging and confirm requirements with your embassy before travel.

Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Argentina’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.