Cannabis is illegal in Egypt for every use. Possession can carry a minimum of one year in prison and a fine, supply and trafficking offences can carry life imprisonment or the death penalty under Law No. 182 of 1960, and customs searches at Cairo and Hurghada airports do find tourists carrying small amounts. CBD is not carved out as a legal consumer product.
Quick Answer for Travelers
- Legal status: Illegal for recreational and personal use. No decriminalization.
- Possession penalty: Minimum 1 year imprisonment plus a fine of EGP 1,000 to 10,000 for personal-use possession under Article 37 of the Anti-Narcotics Law.
- Trafficking, supply, cultivation: Hard labour for life, or the death penalty in aggravated cases. Egypt has executed drug traffickers in the modern era, though cannabis-only death sentences are rare.
- CBD: Not clearly legal. Treat any cannabis-derived product as a controlled substance.
- Medical cannabis: No public programme. Do not assume a foreign prescription will be honoured.
- Airports: Cairo (CAI), Hurghada (HRG), and Sharm El Sheikh (SSH) screen for narcotics. The US State Department and UK FCDO both warn travellers that drug penalties are severe.
Penalty Quick-Look
| Offence | Statutory penalty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Possession for personal use | ≥ 1 year prison + EGP 1,000–10,000 fine | Article 37, Law 182/1960 |
| Possession with intent to supply | 3 years to life with hard labour | Discretion based on quantity and intent |
| Trafficking, importation, exportation | Life imprisonment or death | Article 33; death penalty applied in aggravated cases |
| Cultivation of cannabis plants | Life with hard labour, or death for large-scale | Article 33; treated as trafficking |
| Public consumption | Possession charge applies | No separate public-use offence |
What the Law Actually Says
Egypt’s drug regime is governed by Anti-Narcotics Law No. 182 of 1960 and its later amendments. Cannabis (hashish and bango, the local term for low-grade herbal cannabis) is listed as a controlled narcotic in Schedule One. The statute draws a sharp line between possession for personal use, possession with intent, and trafficking. Quantity, packaging, and the presence of scales or cash all push a case from one category into the next.
Possession in Practice
A tourist caught with a small amount of hashish in a Cairo nightclub or on a Red Sea beach is most likely to be charged under Article 37. The minimum penalty is one year of imprisonment, but suspended sentences and deportation do happen for foreign nationals, particularly on a first offence with a small quantity. Pre-trial detention can still last weeks or months. Foreign embassies have limited ability to intervene beyond consular access.
Trafficking, Cultivation, and the Death Penalty
Article 33 of Law 182/1960 covers trafficking, importation, exportation, and cultivation. The maximum penalty is execution. Egypt has carried out drug-trafficking executions in recent years, though most reported cases involve heroin or large-scale organized trafficking rather than personal cannabis quantities. The legal exposure exists, and prosecutors can charge cultivation or large possession as trafficking when the facts support it.
CBD and Medical Cannabis
Egypt has no general medical cannabis programme. There is no list of registered cannabis-based medicines available through public pharmacies, and a foreign medical card or prescription does not create a legal defence. CBD oil, hemp gummies, and other cannabis-derived consumer products are not carved out as legal. The safest assumption for travellers is that anything containing cannabinoids will be treated as a controlled narcotic at customs.
What Actually Happens to Tourists
Customs at Cairo, Hurghada, and Sharm El Sheikh use trained dogs and X-ray screening on inbound and outbound luggage. Egyptian police also conduct searches at nightlife venues in Cairo, Dahab, and along the Red Sea. The UK Foreign Office warns specifically that British nationals have been arrested for possession of small amounts of cannabis and have served time in Egyptian prisons. The cultural visibility of hashish in Egypt does not translate into legal tolerance.
No. Cannabis is illegal for all uses under Anti-Narcotics Law No. 182 of 1960. There is no recreational or personal-use exemption.
Personal-use possession carries a minimum of one year of imprisonment plus a fine of EGP 1,000 to 10,000 under Article 37 of Law 182 of 1960.
No. CBD is not carved out as a legal consumer product, and customs treat cannabis-derived items as controlled narcotics.
Egypt applies the death penalty for drug trafficking. Cannabis-only executions are rare, but trafficking convictions involving cannabis can carry death under Article 33 of Law 182 of 1960.
No. There is no public medical cannabis programme, and foreign prescriptions are not recognised.
