Marijuana Laws
As recorded December 15, 2025 · not verified as current law. Nepal law
Cannabis laws in Kathmandu follow Nepal’s national law. City-level policy rarely changes cannabis legality; jurisdiction law determines legal risk.
Recreational and medical cannabis are illegal. Possession or use can result in legal consequences.
Quick facts
- Recreational: Illegal
- Medical: Not available
- Possession: Illegal
- Buying/Selling: Illegal
- Tourists: No exceptions; penalties apply
Practical guidance
Avoid cross-border transport of cannabis products. Do not assume informal tolerance equals legality.
Law Enforcement
Police often seemed uninterested, especially in tourists. People traded stories about paying off an officer, but that wasn’t dependable. Keep it discreet. A quiet drag in a lodge or while rowing on Phewa Tal was the sort of thing people remembered.
Some sadhus smoke in temples, and cannabis is associated with Shiva and the festival celebrating him. Older people in villages smoked too. “More than 60 percent of the youth” was one enthusiastic guess, without survey evidence.
Where to Buy Marijuana
In Thamel, ten minutes on foot might bring five offers. Durbar Square, rickshaw drivers and other young locals were places to start a conversation. People were friendly and generally didn’t mind talking about weed.
If you’re shy, get a drink and talk to the waiter. Bamboos, Les Yeux, Tongues and Tales and New Orleans were spots where smokers hung out.
A local friend or guide sometimes knew the best outdoor weed outside the Kathmandu Valley. Pokhara came up as a source of good marijuana. Watch out for bhang lassis: the yogurt drinks could be strong enough to knock you out.
Marijuana Prices
7,000 Nepali rupees, about US$100 then, for a kilo of weed. Hash was about 700 rupees or US$10 for an eleven-gram tola, with another quote under 1,000 rupees or US$15.
Visitors could be asked for more. Around Pashupatinath, a sadhu might offer a drag from a chillum.
Types of Marijuana
Royal Nepalese finger and temple balls were the familiar hash forms. Local papers seemed to report 200- or 300-kilo busts every couple of months, and much of the hash was said to go abroad.
Outdoor weed varied by growing conditions. Fresh Manang could be good, the old stuff less so. The hand-rubbed charas was phenomenal.
More Information
For munchies, try Newari food and Nepali sweet shops. “They’re damn good.” Trekking was another way to see the Himalayan countryside and meet local people.
Bring papers if you roll. Hash was often smoked in a chillum or cigarette and papers weren’t everywhere. I wouldn’t eat hash. It could leave you horribly stoned for ages and barely able to walk home.