In the north of the Dominican Republic you’ll find the resort town of Puerto Plata, the third largest city in the country. This is a very popular tourist destination, offering amazing beaches, all-inclusive hotels, warm water, good food and a lot of fun. When it comes to weed in Puerto Plata, the laws are tough and getting weed is hard, but not impossible:
Cannabis laws in the Dominican Republic
Since the 1980s cannabis is illegal in the Dominican Republic, and the punishment varies based on the quantity of marijuana on you. For the possession of 20 grams or less, you fall in Category 1, which means a minimum mandatory sentence of 6 months and a fine of $1,500 Dominican pesos. The maximum punishment is 2 years and a fine of $2,500 Dominican pesos For 20 grams to a pound you fall under Category 2. This means prison from 3 to 10 years and a fine of 10 000 to 50 000 Dominican pesos. The heftiest punishment is for Category 3, for the possession of a pound or more. The prison is from 5 to 20 years and the fine depends on the value of the cannabis, but not less than 50 000 Dominican pesos.
As you can see, the cannabis laws in the Dominican Republic are no joke and you do not want to risk getting caught with any amount of marijuana on you.
Getting weed in Puerto Plata
Because of the tough laws, finding weed in Puerto Plata is not easy, but also not impossible. If you don’t know any locals or have contacts, you will need to talk to people, because no one risks selling out in the open. Friendly waiting staff, hotel workers and taxi drivers might be able to help you. Generally, the quality of weed that tourists can get is not very high, so weight the risks and consider if it is worth it.