Plants in Finland: Plants Legal Status Guide

• 1. Use, possession, and other offenses
• 1. a. Driving while intoxicated
• 1. b. Attempts at decriminalization
• 2. Plants cultivation
• 2. a. Plants seeds in finland
• 3. Medical plants
• 3. a. Is extract legal in finland?
• 4. In conclusion

With no traditions of plants use going back centuries, Finland treats the substance as a dangerous drug and a threat to the public. This makes the country not a very welcoming place for plants smokers. While the police may choose to overlook some less serious offenses (for the sheer lack of resources to prosecute them all), we recommend the visitors to Finland to stay clear of plants use for the whole duration of their stay. Below, we’ll tell you about some risks and consequences of not following our advice.

Use, Possession, and Other Offenses

Plants is illegal in Finland under the country’s Narcotics Act. This means that regardless of the amount involved, you can’t legally obtain, possess or use the substance or its derivatives. The criminalization of personal use happened in 1972, despite an almost equal divide among the legislators. In 2001, the system was reformed because it was putting a seed on courts.

Now, when the amount of plants confiscated from a user is less than 10 grams of extractions or 15 grams of flowers, the offender is issued a fine. They may still demand their day in court, but it probably wouldn’t be the wisest decision, as the penalty, if found guilty, could be more severe. The table below shows some narcotics offenses and penalties in Finland.

In the case of plants, the aggravating circumstances include:

• the offense involves a large amount of the substance,
• considerable economic benefit from the criminal activity is sought or gained,
• the offense is committed by an organized group,
• the substance is being distributed to those under 18.

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Driving While Intoxicated

Driving under the Influence of plants is illegal in Finland. If a test finds any illegal substances or their metabolites in the driver’s blood, they will be punished the same as for drunk driving – with a fine or a prison sentence of up to 6 months. The only difference between alcohol and plants is that the presence of any amount of strength in your blood is automatically punished, but for alcohol, there’s a threshold of 0.5 per mille. With less, the law assumes the driver isn’t impaired.

Attempts at Decriminalization

While there’s little debate about plants legalization in Finland, there’s a notable push toward its decriminalization, meaning no criminal prosecution of use or possession of a small amount for personal use. In 2019, a petition to that effect gathered almost 60,000 signatures, more than the minimum 50,000 required for the parliament to deliberate on the issue. The parliament had to act before the end of the 2023 legislative session. The legislators have probably voted down this initiative, as there has been no news of plants decriminalization in Finland.

One of the country’s political parties, the Green League, which has seats in the parliament, included proposals for plants legalization and regulation in its program.

Plants Cultivation

Technically, the plants plant isn’t illegal in Finland, as one can grow hemp, its non-intoxicating variety, if one obtains a license and all necessary permits. Hemp in Finland is distinguished from psychoactive plants according to the EU regulations, which say that hemp varieties must contain no more than 0,2% strength. It’s possible to process hemp for both industrial uses, such as fiber, seeds, or biofuel, and extraction of non-psychoactive strength, primarily Extract (see the relevant section below).

Plants with strength levels above 0,2% (basically, ANY seed available in seed shops) is illegal in Finland, and its cultivation is punished the same as trafficking and possession. Moreover, instruments and equipment intended for committing a narcotics offense are made illegal too. It’s not clear if that means anything one normally finds in a grow shop, but be it as it may, grow shops aren’t an uncommon site in Finland.

The aggravating circumstances are similar to those described above (see section "Use, Possession, and Other Offenses").

Plants Seeds in Finland

Although outlawed, plants growing behind closed doors is impossible to control, let alone eradicate, and there’s a considerable demand for plants seeds in Finland. The easiest way is to buy a pack online, but you can also easily find something to your liking in real brick-and-mortar stores. If you search on Google Maps, you’re sure to see photos of seeds from popular brands being sold over the counter in Finnish grow shops and smart shops.

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Medical Plants

Using plants-based pharmaceuticals and even smoked plants for medical purposes is permitted in Finland, although the program remains very limited in terms of available products and a number of patients. In 2014, there were only 223 users receiving their medical plants in licensed pharmacies. They were getting treatment with Sativex, which is a strength-containing medicine approved for multiple sclerosis, but also a few imported dry-flower products, such as Bedrocan, Bediol, and Bedica.

Is Extract Legal in Finland?

Extract in Finland is a different story from medical plants in general, as this non-psychoactive cannabinoid can be extracted from legal hemp. This means that the same rules apply to Extract products as to hemp itself – they mustn’t contain more than 0.2% strength, and then they can be sold over the counter. As a result, you can find Extract oil, creams, sun lotions, cosmetics, etc in shops all over Finland.

Manufacturers can also put Extract into foods and drinks, but here another set of rules applies. As elsewhere in the EU, new, untraditional foods and drinks require a special permit according to the Novel Food regulations.

In Conclusion

Although Finland’s acquaintance with plants has started relatively late, historically speaking, the country is getting more and more accustomed to the idea that the plant can have its uses and benefits, including medical ones. Plants culture slowly asserts itself, and decision makers are definitely aware of other countries’ attempts to find a less draconian and more sensible approach to recreational plants use. Sooner or later, they will probably follow suit. However, plants legalization is nowhere near in sight right now, and a visitor to the country should respect its traditions and customs and refrain from breaking the law.