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There is a thread in the Thai Visa forum about a guy who was caught with he says 3 ounces of weed in pattaya in September and spent several months in the monkey house.
When I first used to visit Cambodia 10 years ago everything was pretty relaxed about this issue but I have since lost track of the legal situation because I wouldn't even dream of doing it in Thailand.
Do the police now crack down on people in public places simply for consumption? So for example sitting at one of those many beachside bars at Sihanouville?
I'm not talking about dealing or anything like that I'm simply talking about smoking a small amount.

I have two friends in Siem Reap who were arrested for smoking cannabis in the last month. This is new. It cost them (between them) $8,000 to get out of trouble. Might be worth being discrete in Cambodia as it has always been illegal to smoke pot (though not to eat it as long as it's prepared in a Khmer kitchen) but until recently no-one seemed to care.

TheGrinchSR wrote:I have two friends in Siem Reap who were arrested for smoking cannabis in the last month. This is new. It cost them (between them) $8,000 to get out of trouble. Might be worth being discrete in Cambodia as it has always been illegal to smoke pot (though not to eat it as long as it's prepared in a Khmer kitchen) but until recently no-one seemed to care.

now that is interesting and thanks very much for that information.
I could never enjoy it if I thought I have to be looking over my shoulder all the time.
20 years ago I can remember going into one of the very many coffee shops in Amsterdam one freezing December and you could relax knowing there was no risk.
But isn't it ironic that Cambodia is enforcing this in this way when there are now four states in America where it's legal and because
as I understand it America by pushing the United Nations was very instrumental in introducing these standards in Cambodia?
I guess you would now have to go to somewhere like Uruguay to not worry about being caught and where it is now fully legal.

in shv no one seems to be phased by it and people spark up all the time down the beach side of town, people spark up up the hill
its not something that i really take much notice of though as i dont smoke it

TheGrinchSR wrote:...though not to eat it as long as it's prepared in a Khmer kitchen....

I'm not sure that's true, there are often reports of police raiding farms and destroying plants. I don't believe that growing it for food is legal.

John Bingham wrote:

TheGrinchSR wrote:...though not to eat it as long as it's prepared in a Khmer kitchen....

I'm not sure that's true, there are often reports of police raiding farms and destroying plants. I don't believe that growing it for food is legal.

I always thought that the law provisioned for up to three plants per household for culinary use. Maybe it is only a tolerance ?

With regards to possessing cannabis for cooking, I don't believe it is legal according to the law, but is tolerated.

The English translation of "The law on drug control" prakas is available online for confirmation.

To the OP, I don’t partake in cannabis use myself but I have nothing against it. Regularly whenever I am out at a bar, restaurant or gh I notice people sparking up without a 2nd thought...and no-one even bats an eyelid, as long as you're not carrying around ridiculous amounts, dealing, or being careless where and when you light up then you will find that Cambodia is extremely tolerant of cannabis use.

Yes, there are still bars where you can order joints from the menu even, and of course theres the happy pizza restaurants.

PSD-Kiwi wrote:With regards to possessing cannabis for cooking, I don't believe it is legal according to the law, but is tolerated.

The English translation of "The law on drug control" prakas is available online for confirmation.

To the OP, I don’t partake in cannabis use myself but I have nothing against it. Regularly whenever I am out at a bar, restaurant or gh I notice people sparking up without a 2nd thought...and no-one even bats an eyelid, as long as you're not carrying around ridiculous amounts, dealing, or being careless where and when you light up then you will find that Cambodia is extremely tolerant of cannabis use.

Yes, there are still bars where you can order joints from the menu even, and of course theres the happy pizza restaurants.

Thanks for that information
in fact I have only partaken a few times myself.
In fact I think the last time I had it was in Sydney Australia in 1998!
I notice you and another poster use the terminology spark up which I have never heard before so it shows how out of touch I am.

Hmm. After reading this I get the impression that smoking cannabis in Siem Reap is risky, smoking in Phnom Pehn is safe in bars that sell it, and smoking in SHV is safe in most public places. I heard that if ever stopped by the police with cannabis one usually pays a $20 under the table fine. It that still true?

soursop wrote:Hmm. After reading this I get the impression that smoking cannabis in Siem Reap is risky, smoking in Phnom Pehn is safe in bars that sell it, and smoking in SHV is safe in most public places. I heard that if ever stopped by the police with cannabis one usually pays a $20 under the table fine. It that still true?

Did you bother reading the Grinch post above? There is no "usual" fine, it's as big or small as the cops want.