Cannabis in the United Arab Emirates is illegal. Trafficking has a minimum five year sentence. Use and possession has a minimum three month sentence, and may result in deportation of expats.
Law
The United Arab Emirates prohibits the trafficking and sale of drugs, including cannabis, with drug use punishable of up to four years in prison. Non-citizens found with possession of drugs may face deportation, at the discretion of the judge. In 2022, the criminal penalties for drug-related crimes was reduced, with a possibility of no punishment for first-time offenders. Possessing products, like clothes, depicting images or text deemed to promote drug use is punishable of up to AED 50,000.
Economy
The UAE is not a significant cannabis producer or consumer, but is a major transshipment point for cannabis from Pakistan and Afghanistan, due to its free ports and heterogeneous population.
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