Marijuana Laws
As recorded December 15, 2025 · not verified as current law. Portugal law
Cannabis laws in Algarve follow Portugal’s national law. Municipal rules rarely change cannabis legality; jurisdiction law is what matters for travelers.
Under the law, possession of small amounts for personal use is decriminalized and treated as an administrative matter. Recreational sales remain illegal. Medical cannabis is available with a prescription.
Quick facts
- Recreational: Decriminalized (no legal sales)
- Medical: Available with prescription
- Possession: Small amounts administrative
- Buying/Selling: Illegal
- Tourists: Administrative risk possible
Practical guidance
Avoid cross-border transport of cannabis products. Do not assume informal tolerance equals legality.
Law Enforcement
Police rarely approached tourists quietly smoking weed or hash. Being drunk and causing trouble could be another story. There were stories of beatings and of a €50 note smoothing over a stop. Neither is a reliable prediction of what happens in a police encounter.
I wouldn’t walk down the street smoking a joint. That’s asking for trouble. I’d put it out if I saw a cop coming.
Where to buy marijuana in the Algarve
Weed was hard to come by even though people offered it on the street. You could pay a lot for crap, sometimes just herbs or leaves. Street “hashish” was often thought to be soap bar cut with candle wax.
There were hundreds of reps from the UK bringing punters into clubs and bars. They were easygoing and often knew where to find better stuff. Hash was easier to find than weed. Headshops and people who already smoked sometimes knew where to look. I’d still pass on street offers.
Marijuana Prices
“Candle-wax soap bar” could go for €1–10 a gram at tourist prices. Good hash was €10–20 for an eighth, cheaper than England and reasonable for the quality.
Weed averaged around €10 a gram when you could find it. Hash was much cheaper. A €10 minimum purchase could get an eighth, about 3.5 grams.
Types of Marijuana
When you found flower it was medium to high quality, with little choice of strain. The poorer hash was the soap bar you find all over the UK and Europe.
Travel details from the period: Portugal, UTC/GMT, calling code +351.