Cocaine Legal Status
A guide to cocaine laws in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and under international drug treaties.
A guide to cocaine laws in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and under international drug treaties.
United States law
Cocaine is a Schedule II controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Possession, distribution, and trafficking carry severe federal and state penalties.
The 2010 Fair Sentencing Act reduced but did not eliminate the disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences.
Federal penalties
Trafficking can result in decades in prison. Simple possession of a controlled substance is typically a misdemeanor on first offense but a felony in many states.
Sentencing disparities
Historically, crack offenses were punished 100 times more severely than powder offenses. The 2010 reform reduced the ratio to roughly 18-to-1.
European law
The European Union and member states criminalize cocaine production and trafficking. Some countries, such as Portugal, have decriminalized personal possession and focus on public health responses.
United Kingdom
Cocaine is a Class A drug. Possession can lead to up to seven years imprisonment; supply can lead to life imprisonment.
Netherlands
Trafficking is heavily prosecuted, while small-scale personal possession may be handled with administrative fines in some municipalities.
Portugal
Personal possession of small amounts is an administrative offense. Users are referred to dissuasion commissions rather than criminal court.
Latin America
Andean countries balance traditional coca chewing with prohibition of cocaine processing and trafficking. Bolivia and Peru have negotiated limited traditional-use exemptions under the 1961 Single Convention.
International treaties
The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances form the global legal framework.
Policy reform debates
Advocates argue that prohibition fuels violence, incarceration, and adulterant deaths. Opponents cite public health, social order, and international treaty obligations. Decriminalization, regulated markets, and expanded treatment remain contested options.