Portugal made history in 2001 by becoming the first country in the world to decriminalise the personal possession and use of all drugs — not just cannabis. More than two decades later, the Portuguese model is cited by researchers, governments, and public health bodies worldwide as one of the most evidence-based drug policies ever implemented. But what does it actually mean in practice for someone in Portugal in 2026?

This guide cuts through the myths and gives you the precise legal picture: what is decriminalised, what remains illegal, how the CDT process works, and what the law says about medical cannabis and CBD products.

Table of Contents

• 1. Law 30/2000 — What Decriminalisation Actually Means
• 2. Possession Thresholds and the CDT Process
• 3. What Remains Illegal: Trafficking and Cultivation
• 4. CBD and Hemp: The Legal Framework
• 5. Medical Cannabis in Portugal
• 6. Legislative Timeline (1993–2026)
• 7. Travellers: What You Need to Know
• 8. European Comparison
• 9. Frequently Asked Questions

1. Law 30/2000 — What Decriminalisation Actually Means

Law 30/2000, which came into force on 1 July 2001, removed criminal penalties for the personal possession and use of all psychoactive substances, including cannabis. This was a radical departure from the punitive model then dominant across Europe.

The law applies to all substances on Portugal's prohibited list (equivalent to Schedule I under international conventions). The key innovation was treating drug use primarily as a public health issue rather than a criminal one — a shift that has been credited with dramatically reducing HIV infections, drug-related deaths, and incarceration rates in Portugal.

The Legal Basis

Law 30/2000 amended the earlier Decree-Law 15/93 (the "Lei da Droga"), which remains the framework law for drug trafficking and supply offences. Trafficking under Decree-Law 15/93 is still a serious criminal offence carrying prison sentences of up to 12 years, unchanged by the 2001 reform.

2. Possession Thresholds and the CDT Process

Law 30/2000 sets out specific quantity thresholds above which possession is presumed to be for supply rather than personal use. For cannabis, the threshold is:

These thresholds are not absolute legal limits — they are presumptive guides. A person found with more than 25 g of cannabis herb could still argue personal use, but the burden of proof shifts heavily against them. Amounts significantly over the threshold will typically be treated as trafficking.

The CDT: Commission for the Dissuasion of Drug Addiction

If police find you with cannabis at or below the threshold, they will confiscate the substance and issue a citation requiring you to appear before the CDT (Comissão para a Dissuasão da Toxicodependência). There are CDT offices in every district capital across Portugal.