Cannabis is fully illegal in American Samoa. The territory has not legalized adult-use, medical cannabis, or even non-intoxicating CBD, and it carries some of the harshest possession penalties in any U.S. jurisdiction. Possession of any amount can result in up to 5 years of imprisonment and a mandatory $5,000 fine, according to Leafwell’s American Samoa cannabis law summary.
That places American Samoa firmly outside the legalization wave that has reshaped Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Travelers should not assume any U.S. territory has similar laws to another.
Is Cannabis Legal in American Samoa?
No. American Samoa prohibits cannabis for any use, including medical. The Fono, the territory’s bicameral legislature, has not enacted decriminalization, medical-access, or adult-use legislation. According to cannabis law records for the territory, possession of any amount is treated as a serious criminal offense.
For broader regional context, see our guide to cannabis legalization in the South Pacific. American Samoa sits at the strict-prohibition end of the regional spectrum.
Medical Cannabis in American Samoa
There is no medical cannabis program in American Samoa. The territory has not authorized patient registration, qualifying conditions, or any prescription pathway for THC or full-spectrum cannabis products. Patients with cards from U.S. states or other territories receive no recognition under American Samoan law.
This is a sharp contrast with Guam, which legalized medical cannabis through ballot referendum in 2014, and the CNMI, which folded medical use into its 2018 adult-use framework. Patients traveling between Pacific U.S. territories should not expect reciprocity.
Recreational Cannabis in American Samoa
Recreational cannabis is illegal. There is no decriminalization for small-quantity possession, no adult-use framework, and no legal retail sales. The Marijuana Policy Project’s U.S. territory tracker lists American Samoa as one of the few U.S. jurisdictions with no medical or adult-use legalization at all.
Public consumption, private possession, and personal use all fall under the same prohibition. Cannabis grows wild in parts of American Samoa, but cultivation is treated as a criminal offense regardless of source.
Cannabis Penalties in American Samoa
Possession of any amount of cannabis is punishable by up to 5 years of imprisonment and a mandatory $5,000 fine, with no distinction in the statute between trace amounts and larger quantities. The mandatory fine means a court cannot waive it, even for a first-time offender or a personal-use case.
Distribution, cultivation, and trafficking are prosecuted under the same controlled-substances framework, with sentencing scaled by quantity, prior offenses, and proximity to schools or minors. Travelers caught at the airport with even residue in luggage have been prosecuted under the possession statute. Industry trackers note that American Samoa’s penalty structure is closer to historical strict-prohibition jurisdictions than to current U.S. mainland law.
Cannabis Cultivation Laws in American Samoa
Home cultivation is illegal regardless of scale or intent. The wild-growing cannabis common to several Pacific islands does not create any legal exception in American Samoa. Harvesting, drying, or processing cannabis sourced from naturally growing plants is treated identically to commercial cultivation under the possession and distribution statutes.
There is no licensed commercial cultivation framework in American Samoa. The territory has not issued any cultivator, processor, or retailer licenses comparable to those in Guam, the CNMI, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
CBD Laws in American Samoa
CBD is also illegal in American Samoa, including hemp-derived CBD with less than 0.3 percent THC that is legal under the federal 2018 Farm Bill in U.S. states and most other territories. This is one of the most significant gaps between American Samoan law and federal hemp policy.
Travelers should not bring CBD oils, gummies, or topicals into American Samoa even if those products are legal at the point of departure. Customs and local enforcement treat CBD products as cannabis under the territory’s controlled substances statute.
Cannabis Enforcement and Real-World Risk
Pago Pago International Airport (PPG) is the main entry point and falls under federal TSA jurisdiction. Cannabis discovered on arrival is referred to local prosecutors who apply American Samoa’s mandatory $5,000 fine and 5-year maximum sentence. According to TSA policy summaries, screeners do not actively search for cannabis but refer discoveries to law enforcement.
Travelers carrying medical cannabis cards from U.S. states or other territories receive no recognition. Customs inspections at maritime entry points apply the same rules. Even small residue amounts have led to prosecutions, so travelers should ensure no cannabis or CBD products are in luggage before arrival.
Future of Cannabis Laws in American Samoa
No active legalization or decriminalization bills have advanced through the Fono. Cultural, religious, and public-health concerns shape the legislative posture more than the medical-access or revenue arguments that drove reform in Guam, the CNMI, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Federal status remains a backdrop rather than a driver. Federal cannabis scheduling does not require American Samoa to keep cannabis prohibited, but it gives the territory political cover to do so. For 2026, American Samoa remains one of the strictest-prohibition U.S. jurisdictions for cannabis.
No. Cannabis is fully illegal in American Samoa for any use, including medical. Possession of any amount carries up to 5 years of imprisonment and a mandatory $5,000 fine.
No. American Samoa does not recognize medical cannabis cards from any U.S. state or territory. Patient cards do not provide a defense against possession charges.
No. CBD is illegal in American Samoa, including hemp-derived CBD with less than 0.3 percent THC that is legal under the federal 2018 Farm Bill in most U.S. jurisdictions.
Up to 5 years of imprisonment and a mandatory $5,000 fine for possession of any amount. The mandatory fine means courts cannot waive it, even for first offenses.
No. CBD products are treated as cannabis under American Samoan law. Travelers should not bring CBD oils, gummies, or topicals into the territory even if legal at the point of departure.
