Marijuana in Istanbul, Turkey - my experience

Howdy, go-getters 🤝My greetings to you in my long topic about my experience with weed in _CITY_ based on my adventures and the stories of local friends.

There is a well known fact that the laws according to the usage of marijuana differs from city to city. Based on that fact I've decided to write this article to let you know the rules of interaction with weed and hash in Istanbul , tell you about the police attention, possibility to find good hash, the price’s politics and all underwater rocks connected with the drugs in Istanbul.

My trip to Istanbul is over, these 10 days were perfect, so while memory is fresh I decided to write this post, who knows may be useful to someone. Being a regular cannabis smoker I could not imagine my stay in Istanbul without some daily joints. So from the very first day of my stay I started looking for weed…

Where to search for weed in Istanbul

While Olaf became my temporary cannabis dealer (and this was the answer for me to all my questions) - he told me how things work in Istanbul.

Top tier dealers in Istanbul purchase cannabis on darknet websites that handle wholesale orders that may contain kilograms of weed and hash. Some darknet dealers process small orders as well, so if you are ready to understand Tor browser and how .onion sites work + ready to wait several days for delivery - take a look on thehiddenwiki.com - it has all links and info you will need about darknet.

If you are just having a short vacation or a trip to Istanbul - purchasing weed via wholesale darknet websites is not an option. Looking for dealers on the streets and in parks is still something you may do to find some weed in Istanbul, but more and more dealers are shifting to online orders done via messengers and payments in bitcoins instead of cash. This simply protects them from ever being caught by cops. Crypto payments are anonymous and delivery is done to selected location without any personal meetings, so both you and the dealer are secured from any possible consequences.

This was a surprise for me cause I am more old school and just “heard something about crypto”. While now all youngsters (who are usually a target group for cannabis dealers) have crypto wallets so dealers simply follow the trend. I think dealers are losing money anyway because not all clients know crypto, but Olaf commented that nowadays if you do not use crypto - you 100% have a friend who uses it, so you may just send him money from card and he does crypto transaction for you. After that I remembered I also have such a friend, so I agreed with Olaf.

Perception of Cannabis Among Residents of Istanbul

It's worth noting that high-THC non-medical cannabis isn't officially available for purchase in licensed cannabis stores in Istanbul, but that doesn't mean the locals are strongly opposed to it 😃. It's primarily the younger crowd and students who openly enjoy cannabis and are open to welcoming new enthusiasts into their social circles. They consider a couple of joints an essential part of a good party, although it might be a bit challenging to fit in if you happen to be over 25.

In general, indulging in the random joint after a long workweek is a cherished tradition among many residents of Istanbul. People tend to be tolerant, so there's no need to worry about judgment when it comes to your cannabis consumption. However, it's advisable to avoid doing so in public to avoid unnecessary attention.

We were a little drunk already when Olaf offered a joint of some noname sativa strain, of course I agreed. We were smoking not far from my hotel and it seems I saw other guys doing the same near another cornet 🙂So may say locals are not against weed, I saw this myself.

I liked the weed Olaf shared, not the best one I’ve ever tried, but good enough. So I asked Olaf to share contacts of his dealer, while he refused telling me his dealer works only with an old trusted set of clients. So I simply asked Olaf if he could be my dealer during the nearest days - he agreed. I wish everyone to find his own Olaf in Istanbul🙂

Marijuana regulations in Istanbul, Turkey

You should know that storage and distribution of non-medical cannabis is forbidden and strictly regulated by laws of Turkey. This means you can not go and buy some good weed in an official shop like you may do in Canada for example. Low THC and high CBD cannabis may be ordered if you have a prescription from a doctor.

On my first evening in Istanbul I met Olaf who moved here a couple of years ago. I got lucky - he was one of the heavy weed smokers, so he agreed to share a joint with me and tell me some stories about local dealers. As he said from the very beginning - even though weed is prohibited in Istanbul - cops are overall calm and relaxed in everything related to cannabis, this made me feel better.

But what if you get caught with weed in your pocket in Istanbul?

According to Olaf - if you have not more than 10g of weed or 5g of hash and you are not doing any other bad things in public - cops should not punish you. They should just ensure you are not a dealer who sells stuff, and after a short talk should leave you alone and just confiscate your stuff (to smoke it themselves haha).

There are some stories about dirty cops who try to get a bribe from tourists with weed in Istanbul, but these stories are rare, also better not to do this cause you may be arrested for this as a separate crime. Easier just to watch you back and not to walk with large amounts of weed in your pockets.

Frequently asked questions about Cannabis in Istanbul

Is cannabis legal in Istanbul?

No, non-medical cannabis is not legal in Istanbul, while cops are relaxed towards weed and having less than 20 grams in your pocket should not result in arrest.

What if I get caught with weed in Istanbul?

If cops think you are a real dealer who delivers stuff - you will have problems. But usually tourists with small amounts of hash or weed are not touched at all, only dealers should worry.

Can I buy weed on the streets of Istanbul?

Yes you still can. This is an outdated approach already so more and more dealers are switching to online sales, but hustling parks and central streets may still give you successful results. While much easier would be finding dealer’s contacts and order online with further delivery.

Can I find high quality weed or hash in Istanbul?

Yes, while quality varies from dealer to dealer.

Can I find hash in Istanbul?

Yes, a lot of dealers sell both weed and hash, so hash is also popular and can be found in Istanbul. Not all dealers have it, but it is still rather popular.

What is the price for weed and hash in Istanbul?

Prices vary from dealer to dealer and usually depend on stuff quality and dealer’s greediness 😂From what I saw - super high quality weed may go up to $20 - $25 per 1 gram (while the more you buy - the lower price you get), and high quality hash was around $30-$35 per 1 gram. Have not purchased low quality weed in Istanbul so do not know the prices, but should be lower.

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