Cannabis in South Korea

South Korea became the first East Asian country to legalize medical cannabis in 2018, a milestone in a region known for extremely strict drug laws. The amendment to the Narcotics Control Act permits the import and use of specific cannabis-based medicines that have been approved by regulatory authorities in their countries of origin. Access is strictly controlled through the Korea Orphan Drug Center.

The South Korean medical cannabis framework is extremely narrow compared to Western programs. Only specific pharmaceutical products are approved — primarily Epidiolex (for epilepsy) and Sativex (for multiple sclerosis spasticity) — and patients must apply through a rigorous approval process. Raw cannabis flower, oils, and other non-pharmaceutical products are not available, and the number of patients accessing medical cannabis remains very small.

South Korea maintains some of the strictest drug laws in Asia. Recreational cannabis use is illegal, and penalties are severe — up to five years in prison for simple possession. South Korean law also asserts extraterritorial jurisdiction, meaning South Korean citizens can be prosecuted for cannabis use abroad. This legal framework creates significant cultural and legal barriers to broader cannabis reform.

Despite the restrictive environment, the 2018 medical cannabis legalization was symbolically significant. It demonstrated that even countries with the most prohibitionist drug policies could acknowledge the medical utility of cannabis. The South Korean pharmaceutical industry's interest in cannabinoid-based medicines could gradually expand the scope of medical cannabis access, though this process will likely be extremely slow given the country's conservative drug policy stance.