Since 2016, use of cannabis hasn’t been listed as a criminal offence; which effectively decriminalises it. However, possession of any drugs can be punished with up to six months in prison or a fine; providing the amount of cannabis is below the threshold. The threshold is defined by a Ministry of Health decree, and is currently set at 20 grams of THC (pure substance) or 40 grams of THCA. The maximum sentence for possession of amounts that exceed ‘personal use’ is one-year imprisonment.
Cannabis in Austria is legal for scientific and medical usage, but illegal for recreational usage.
Medical Marijuana
In 2008, Austria passed a bill permitting cannabis cultivation for medicinal and research purposes. The bill stated that all cannabis would be grown under the control of the Health Ministry, and that domestic cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes would still be illegal. The country permits the supply of medicines to patients with a prescription from a registered medical practitioner.