If you enjoy smoking weed and you like relaxing by the beach, you might think of combining your two favorite pleasures in Aruba. But before you travel to the island country with your holiday strain, you should know about the weed laws in Aruba. Is weed legal in Aruba?
Marijuana is illegal in Aruba in all its forms and in every context. While the public health minister of Aruba has alluded to medical Marijuana being legalized at some point in the future, this has yet to affect the current status of Marijuana in Aruba. As of now, it remains a banned substance.
In this article, you’ll discover the legality of THC-free CBD in Aruba as well as the possible punishment for being caught with weed in Aruba. But before we get into that, let’s address whether there is weed in Aruba, to begin with.
Table of Contents- Is There Weed In Aruba?
- Is Medical Marijuana Legal In Aruba?
- Are Marijuana Cookies Legal In Aruba?
- What Is The Punishment For Smoking Weed In Aruba?
- Can I Take Medical Marijuana To Aruba?
- Is Cbd Legal In Aruba?
- Cbd Vs. Marijuana: What's The Difference And Why Should You Care?
- Where Can You Smoke Up In The Caribbean?
- Jamaica
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- The U.S. Virgin Islands
- Final Thoughts: Is Marijuana Legal or Illegal in Aruba in 2023?
Is There Weed In Aruba?
Since bringing weed into Aruba is impossible for international travelers, weed is smuggled/grown in Aruba illegally and is sold to tourists in some places. However, this is an illegal act, and you should bear the consequences in mind before buying weed in Aruba.
If you’re used to buying prescription marijuana in your respective state, you might think pharmacies sell it in Aruba as well. Marijuana is not sold at the chemists in Aruba because of the legal standing of cannabis for medical use.
Is Medical Marijuana Legal In Aruba?
Medical Marijuana is not legal in Aruba. The country does not have any policy or exception that differentiates between medical and recreational Marijuana. Therefore a blanket weed ban exists in Aruba.
Getting Marijuana from outside Aruba is impossible through legal or official channels. Therefore, anyone caught in possession of Marijuana is prosecuted as a potential smoker or farmer of the illegal plant. And depending on the circumstances and charges proven, the penalty could result in fines or long-term imprisonment.
Are Marijuana Cookies Legal In Aruba?
Marijuana edibles, including pot cookies, are illegal in Aruba. They are just as illegal as joints/blunts and are hence just as punishable. Most edibles are homemade by illegal weed businesses, and there are no quality controls or safe channels of recourse if you get sick.
It is risky to get Marijuana in Aruba in any form. But tourists who buy edibles do so because they can get away with feigning ignorance regarding the contents of the edibles. “I thought these were regular cookies” can still fly compared to, “I thought this blunt was filled with tobacco.”
What Is The Punishment For Smoking Weed In Aruba?
Depending on the severity of the circumstances, you can get a very serious penalty for smoking weed or consuming edibles in Aruba. The island has a zero-tolerance policy against Marijuana.
Here are all the possible outcomes of getting caught with Marijuana in Aruba:
- Long Jail Sentence – One of the most serious punishments often reserved for those found with supply quantities of Marijuana is long-term imprisonment.
- Deportation – Deportation is the rosiest outcome of getting caught with Marijuana, though it does come with the possibility of never being able to enter Aruba again.
- Fine + Deportation – A slightly less rosy outcome is being deported after paying a fine. Usually, such deportation is not accompanied by a permanent entry ban.
- Jail + Deportation + Fine – The worst possible penalty for marijuana possession in Aruba is the trifecta of imprisonment, deportation, and fine. This happens when the authorities conclude that marijuana possession is not limited to personal use.
Can I Take Medical Marijuana To Aruba?
You cannot take Medical Marijuana to Aruba, though you might be able to get it from pharmacies in Aruba in the future. Again, that depends entirely on how thoroughly the public health minister Dangui Oduber, follows through on his promises.
The initial claim was made as a campaign promise in 2017. As of 2019, the promise has been materialized in the form of CBD-import permits given to five local companies. Currently, CBD for medicinal use is affected by the minister’s vision, while THC-containing products remain illegal.
Is Cbd Legal In Aruba?
CBD is legal in Aruba for medicinal purposes. It is available at pharmacies and can be purchased without a prescription. In other words, it is bought in a medical context though it is not necessarily used in that capacity exclusively.
You can buy CBD in Aruba at Nature’s Discount, Aruba Wellness, Cloud2 Vapor, Giannis Nutrition, and Benu Pharmacy. Almost all vape shops, nutrition, and supplement stores, and many pharmacies carry CBD products. CBD can’t really be used recreationally, though, because despite being a marijuana product, it isn’t Marijuana.
Cbd Vs. Marijuana: What’s The Difference And Why Should You Care?
If you’re going to Aruba, the key difference that matters is that CBD is legal in Aruba while Marijuana is not. But because Marijuana and CBD are both cannabis products, they are often assumed to be the same, and there’s a fundamental (and universal) difference that needs to be addressed.
CBD products feature Cannabidiol which is a Cannabinoid (Cannabis derivative) but does not contain THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). Both CBD and THC are cannabis derivatives, but THC is psychoactive. CBD has more anti-inflammatory and psychologically soothing properties.
Some people use CBD to sleep better, while others use it to reduce chronic pain. Medical Marijuana often features THC, while CBD products like CBD Oil, CBD tinctures, and CBD edibles do not contain THC.
In other words, you cannot get high on CBD. And for Aruban tourists, that means that they cannot get a legal high in Aruba no matter their medical condition.
Where Can You Smoke Up In The Caribbean?
Sure, Aruba is moving closer to weed legalization, but the complete status shift might take a few years. That is of no help if you want to smoke up by the beach on your next trip to the Caribbean. Fortunately, many Caribbean countries have moved to legalize weed (THC-containing products), and it may be the better option for people who love to roll up by the beach.
Jamaica
Jamaica is often associated with Marijuana and, despite its previous approach to the crop, has decriminalized personal use and possession of minor quantities of Marijuana.
At any given time, if you’re caught with up to 2 ounces of weed, you have to pay a small fine, and no criminal charges are processed.
Residents can grow up to 5 plants, and Rastafarians (people who follow the religion of Rastafarianism) are allowed by law to smoke ganja.
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda has decriminalized the possession and use of small quantities of Marijuana. Public use is not common, though.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago do not pursue criminal charges for the personal use of Marijuana as long as the quantity possessed by an individual is not bordering on supply levels.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
The islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis are among the countries that have moved to marijuana legalization fairly early. Small quantities are overlooked but stashing large amounts can land you in trouble.
The U.S. Virgin Islands
The rules regarding marijuana possession in the U.S. Virgin Islands are the same as in Antigua and Barbuda. Owning a small quantity of THC-containing products is legal, but carrying more than 2 ounces can lead to legal problems.
Final Thoughts: Is Marijuana Legal or Illegal in Aruba in 2023?
Weed is not legal in Aruba though it seems to be headed that way. As of now, though, even medical Marijuana is not legal.
CBD is legal in the country, but it cannot get you high. And the products that can get you high can also get you jailed, fined, and deported.