If you thought our weed laws were strict^[1], think again. Though North America is far from perfect^[2] when it comes to marijuana^[3] policy, by comparison, much of the world is medieval when it comes to drug enforcement. We’ve listed the countries with the strictest weed laws so you know the punishments for everything. From taking to a toke to running a cannabis empire.

Drug possession is no joke in the United Arab Emirates. Even carrying residual amounts of any drug, including marijuana, can land you four years in prison, which is the minimum jail sentence^[4].

If you’re caught trafficking drugs in the United Arab Emirates, you’re looking at the death penalty. And yes, having detectable levels of any drug in your bloodstream counts as drug possession.

Make sure you’re aware of customs and laws^[5] before traveling to the Emirates, one of the countries with the strictest weed laws.

Luckily, most people traveling to the Emirates aren’t going for marijuana tourism. Most often, this country’s strict drug laws become a problem for people passing through the airport.

Airport security is intense, high-tech^[6] and geared towards detecting trace amounts of marijuana. Authorities often pull travelers aside for random drug testing, so better to be safe than sorry.

References

1. ^{^} strict (hightimes.com)
2. ^{^} far from perfect (hightimes.com)
3. ^{^} marijuana (hightimes.com)
4. ^{^} minimum jail sentence (hightimes.com)
5. ^{^} customs and laws (www.gov.uk)
6. ^{^} high-tech (gulfnews.com)