Turkey has a long history of cannabis use, dating back thousands of years, and it has a rich culture associated with it. However, since the beginning of the 20th century, political changes have meant that the leadership of the country has taken more decisive steps to limit and criminalise its use.

Turkey has a long history of cannabis use, dating back thousands of years, and a rich culture associated with it. However, since the beginning of the 20th century, political changes have meant that the leadership of the country has taken more decisive steps to limit and criminalise its use.


History of Cannabis in TurkeyThe fertile, hilly Diyarbakir Province is the heartland of cannabis cultivation in Turkey (Charles Roffey)There is evidence to suggest that cannabis has been cultivated in Turkey since at least 1,000 BCE. Archaeologists have found traces of hemp fibres dating to around this time in the ruins of the ancient city of Gordion, situated near present-day Ankara.Throughout much of the Ottoman period (1299-1922), hashish use was accepted and ubiquitous. The mystic Sufi sect of Islam made particularly enthusiastic use of cannabis as a sacrament, and many parlours and coffee houses allowed use of hashish on their premises.Cannabis and hashish were made illegal in 1890; in 1925, Turkey and Egypt were the two countries that most vehemently insisted upon cannabis’ inclusion in the Geneva International Convention on Narcotics Control, established by the League of Nations. It is suggested that this was part of a wider move to modernize and align with the West.