How to Buy Weed in Costa Rica: The Green Scene in Paradise

The gap between the idyllic image of Costa Rica’s lush jungles and its strict cannabis laws is vast and critical for any traveler to understand. While the country has taken steps toward medical cannabis access, a legal retail market for tourists or residents seeking recreational use simply does not exist. The solution isn’t a list of hidden dealers—it’s a clear-eyed understanding of the legal landscape, the limited medical pathway, and the vibrant, cannabis-adjacent wellness culture you can legally explore. Platforms like Herb’s Products Catalog can help you understand what you’re looking for, even if you can’t find it for sale on Costa Rican soil.

• Recreational cannabis sales are completely illegal in Costa Rica; no dispensaries or legal retail stores exist
• Medical cannabis is legal in Costa Rica under a pharmacy-and-prescription model requiring a Costa Rica-issued digital prescription
• Tourists should not expect legal access to medical cannabis programs
• Enforcement and charging decisions depend on circumstances; trafficking-related conduct is criminalized
• A growing wellness scene offers legal CBD products and plant-based experiences
• The future of legalization remains uncertain, with Sala Constitucional ruling against a 2024 referendum pathway

The root of most confusion about cannabis in Costa Rica stems from the critical difference between medical frameworks and recreational legalization. While these terms are often used interchangeably, their practical implications are worlds apart.

In 2022, Costa Rica passed Law 10113, which legalized medical cannabis exclusively for medicinal and therapeutic use. However, this law created a tightly controlled system that has nothing to do with the open recreational markets found in parts of the United States or Canada. For the vast majority of visitors, this law offers no pathway to access.

For recreational users, the legal status is clear: it is illegal. There are no stores, no dispensaries, and no legal avenues to purchase cannabis for non-medical purposes. Costa Rica does not run a legal recreational market. Enforcement and charging decisions can depend on circumstances; trafficking-related conduct is criminalized under Costa Rica’s drug law (Ley 8204), and authorities may evaluate intent based on context.

This creates a complex legal environment. It’s essential to understand that outcomes can vary, and visitors should avoid assuming leniency. The absence of prosecution in some cases is not the same as permission.

For those with legitimate medical needs, a legal pathway to cannabis exists in Costa Rica, but it follows a strict prescription model similar to how many pharmaceuticals are dispensed.

Access begins with a prescription from a licensed Costa Rican physician. As of June 2025, Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health announced that medical cannabis products can be acquired in pharmacies via digital medical prescription after regulatory approval. This is the first and most significant barrier for tourists. Foreign medical cannabis prescriptions or recommendations are not recognized under Costa Rican law.

Tourists should not expect legal access: medical cannabis requires a Costa Rica-issued digital prescription and pharmacy dispensing. The system is designed to operate through Costa Rica’s established medical infrastructure, making it effectively inaccessible to short-term visitors. Additionally, bringing cannabis across international borders remains illegal under Costa Rican law and international conventions.

Once a prescription is obtained, patients can fill it at authorized pharmacies throughout the country. The June 2025 rollout of regulatory standard RTCR 515:2024 formalized this pharmacy-based system, creating a controlled distribution network similar to other prescription medications.

This system offers no solution for tourists seeking legal access to cannabis products.

Despite the legal reality, a persistent myth endures that certain tourist hotspots offer easy access to cannabis. However, engaging with any illicit market carries significant risks that travelers should understand.

Any recreational cannabis purchase in Costa Rica takes place outside legal channels and carries serious consequences:

• Poor Quality & Safety: Unregulated cannabis is untested. It may contain contaminants, mold, or be of extremely low quality.
• Legal Risk: Purchase and possession can lead to serious criminal penalties, as authorities evaluate intent based on circumstances.
• Scams & Exploitation: Tourists are frequently targeted for scams and may pay inflated prices for inferior or non-existent products.

Herb’s comprehensive guides on cannabis safety provide general principles for responsible consumption, but in Costa Rica, the safest approach is to respect local laws and avoid the illicit market entirely. Understanding different cannabis strains and quality markers becomes meaningless without legal access to verified products.

While traditional cannabis may be out of reach, Costa Rica’s famed “Pura Vida” lifestyle offers a wealth of legal, cannabis-adjacent experiences that align with its wellness and eco-tourism focus.

Since the passage of Law 10113, the market for hemp-derived products has evolved. Law 10113 defines hemp as cannabis with less than 1% THC (dry weight). Retail CBD and hemp-derived products may still be subject to Costa Rica’s health product rules and registration requirements depending on how they’re marketed (e.g., medicinal vs cosmetic).

You can often find CBD oils, topicals, and other products in health food stores, wellness shops, and some pharmacies. These products offer a legal way to explore some therapeutic benefits of the cannabis plant, though they differ significantly from THC-containing products in their effects.

Costa Rica is a global hub for wellness experiences, many of which integrate plant medicine into their offerings—though not with cannabis. Experiences centered around cacao ceremonies, breathwork, yoga, and other holistic practices are ubiquitous. These retreats exist in the same cultural space that a legal cannabis market might occupy, focusing on mindfulness, connection, and healing.

Costa Rica’s beach towns are centers for a laid-back, health-conscious culture. The “green scene” is more about the jungle than the herb. This is a place to explore nature, surf, practice yoga, and enjoy a slower pace of life. For many, this experience is the true essence of a Costa Rican escape and aligns with the mindful cannabis culture that enthusiasts appreciate worldwide.

The conversation around full legalization is ongoing. Sala Constitucional ruled (vote November 27, 2024; published February 3, 2025) that the draft submitted for constitutional consultation in the referendum process was unconstitutional—effectively stopping that referendum pathway. With political dynamics continuing to evolve, the issue remains charged.

While the trend in Latin America has been toward greater liberalization, Costa Rica’s path is its own. The existing medical framework suggests a society that is cautiously accepting, but the political will for a full legal recreational market has yet to be fully realized.

Navigating the complex and often contradictory cannabis laws of a foreign country like Costa Rica can be daunting. This is where Herb proves invaluable. We are more than just a directory; we are a culture discovery platform built by and for the global cannabis community.

While we can’t list dispensaries that don’t exist in Costa Rica, we equip you with the knowledge to be a smart, safe, and informed cannabis consumer anywhere in the world. Our platform offers:

• Deep Educational Resources: Our Strain Guides and How-To articles help you understand the plant, its effects, and its culture, so you can make informed decisions about cannabis consumption even when traveling.
• Global Community Insight: Herb reports an audience and community of approximately 14 million across its platforms, offering a space to learn from others’ experiences in destinations worldwide, providing real-world context beyond the legal statutes.
• Product Knowledge: Our Products Catalog and reviews help you understand quality markers for cannabis accessories, vaporizers, and consumption devices, crucial skills for any cannabis enthusiast.
• Stay Informed on Trends: The legal landscape is always evolving. By signing up for the HERB INSIDER newsletter, you can stay on top of global cannabis legalization news, including any future developments in Costa Rica.

In a place where the official rules and the on-the-ground reality are in constant tension, Herb’s mission to help you “free your mind and inspire you through discovering products, content and experiences” is more relevant than ever. We provide the foundation of knowledge you need to respect local laws while exploring your own relationship with the cannabis plant.