Mexico: Cannabis Laws (Medical & Personal Self-Consumption)
Last updated: October 14, 2025
Legal notice: This page is informational only and not legal advice. Mexican laws and regulations change; always verify on official government websites linked below and follow the strictest rule that applies to you. See our Legal Disclaimer & No-Warranty and Terms of Use.
Status at a Glance
- Medical: Regulated nationwide under the Reglamento de la Ley General de Salud en Materia de Control Sanitario para la Producción, Investigación y Uso Medicinal de la Cannabis y sus Derivados Farmacológicos (2021). Health authority: COFEPRIS.
- Personal self-consumption (recreational): In 2021, Mexico’s Supreme Court (SCJN) issued DGI 1/2018, eliminating the absolute prohibition on personal, adult self-consumption and related activities (e.g., sowing/cultivating for self-use) subject to authorization by the Health Ministry/COFEPRIS. This did not itself create a retail adult-use market.
- Retail adult-use sales: No unified nationwide retail framework in force. Local enforcement and administrative practice may vary; verify before acting.
Official anchors to read first:
- SCJN – Declaratoria General de Inconstitucionalidad 1/2018 (June 28, 2021); DOF publication July 15, 2021.
- Health Ministry/COFEPRIS – 2021 Medical Cannabis Regulations.
What’s Typically Allowed (with authorization)
- Medical access within the Health Law framework (research, pharmaceutical-grade manufacture, import/export under permits, medical use per regulation). Regulated by COFEPRIS.
- Personal self-consumption activities recognized by SCJN (e.g., seed acquisition authorization, sowing, cultivation, possession, transport for self-use), subject to permits and administrative conditions. This is not a license to sell, traffic, or publicly distribute.
What’s Not Allowed
- Commercial adult-use retail (nationwide) is not enabled by the SCJN decision alone.
- Import/export for personal use: Do not transport cannabis across international borders; customs and federal law apply.
- Sales/trafficking without authorization remain offenses under the Ley General de Salud and Código Penal Federal.
For safe behavior guidance and impairment reminders, see the Responsible Use Guide. For our sourcing and updates policy, see Information You Can Trust and Editorial Standards.
How to Verify (Primary Government Sources)
- Supreme Court (SCJN) – DGI 1/2018: Ruling eliminating the absolute ban on recreational self-consumption and related activities, directing Health authority to authorize permits. See SCJN summary and DOF publication.
- Health Law Regulations (2021) – Medical: Reglamento governing medical cannabis production, research, import/export, and medicinal use under COFEPRIS.
- Ley General de Salud (LGS) – Delitos contra la salud: See Title XVIII, including articles referenced by courts (e.g., Arts. 473–482) and the orientation table (Art. 479) used in legal analysis.
Practical tip: For any personal-use or medical scenario, confirm the exact administrative steps and documents required by COFEPRIS (permits, prescriptions, COAs). Keep copies of authorizations on you when relevant.
Travel, Borders & Driving
- Do not bring cannabis through Mexican customs or cross international borders with cannabis.
- Driving/impairment: Mexican states apply criminal/administrative rules for impaired driving; penalties can be severe.
- Tourists: Assume prohibition on public use unless a local ordinance clearly allows it and you hold any authorization required.
Staying Current
- We track policy shifts and notable agency actions in Research Updates.