Weed in Ganja, Azerbaijan: my experience

Hi, smokers! You probably know that cannabis laws and regulations vary from one county to another, so let’s go deeper and try to understand what is going on with weed in Ganja. My post covers info about weed laws, regulations, general attitude of locals and cops, hash VS weed availability and pricing, failures and success in searching weed in Ganja.

So, I just touched down back home from Ganja a couple of days ago, still got that fresh buzz in my head as I’m sparking up this joint of girl scout cookies strain. Man, Ganja was lit — couldn't have had a better time without those dank buds keepin' me company.

Local Attitudes Toward Cannabis in Ganja

Just because cannabis is strictly regulated in Ganja doesn’t mean the locals are strongly opposed to it. In fact, most people in Ganja don’t seem to care too much about marijuana use. Of course, it’s wise to follow some basic rules, like not smoking in public. But even if someone notices you, it’s unlikely they’ll see it as a big deal.

As I was actively asking and discussing weed - John invited me to his apartment for a small party that very first evening - just a couple of his rasta friends, beer, weed and PS5 - exactly what I do love😁😁😁. How lucky I was😁 John told he will be my weed dealer while I am here in Ganja so I had no issues with great stuff all that time.

John also confirmed locals are OK with weed in Ganja if you behave yourself correctly, while it’s better to avoid cops and not to have more than 10 grams in your pocket.

Cannabis Laws in Azerbaijan: What You Need to Know

First things first, it’s important to understand that high-THC cannabis is illegal in Ganja. Unlike in Amsterdam, you won’t find any coffee shops selling potent marijuana strains. While medical cannabis is available, it’s typically low in THC and won’t give you the high you might be looking for.

During my stay, I met a local named John in the hotel bar. He’s lived in Ganja for a while and knows a lot about the cannabis scene. According to him, while the official regulations are strict, enforcement isn’t always so rigid in practice.

What’s the Law Say vs. What’s Really Good?

Officially, anything with more than 1% THC is a no-go in Ganja. But John put me on game — cops in Ganja are chill about the weed. Unless you’re actin' a fool or got bad luck with the wrong officer, you might just get your stash snatched, have a chat, and be on your way. But yo, don’t push it. Keep it low-key, don’t smoke in public, and if you’re holdin' less than 10g of weed or 5g of hash, you should be straight.

How Do People Get Weed in Ganja?

Finding weed in Ganja isn’t as easy as just asking someone on the street. Wholesale dealers in Ganja buy weed through special darknet websites, but that’s a bit tricky for regular cannabis users who want to smoke, but not re-sell weed.

If you are just having a short vacation or a trip to Ganja - 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 Ganja, 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 John 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 John.

Question / Answer session about marijuana in Ganja

Is high % THC weed forbidden in Ganja?

Yes, non-medical cannabis is regulated and restricted in Ganja, while police is relaxed about marijuana and having less than 10 grams with you should not result in imprisoning anything serious.

Anyway what if you get caught with some THC cannabis product in Ganja?

Depends on the situation, but if officers think you are a drug dealer for some reason who delivers stuff - you should get punished problems. In general tourists with small amounts of hash or weed are not touched at all, only dealers with large amounts.

Can I find weed in Ganja in some oldschool way?

Of course you can! While sniffing dark streets / parks and pinging taxi drivers is an outdated approach for searching marijuana already - a big bunch of dealers migrated to online sales via messengers and crypto, but hustling parks and central streets in searches for weed may still give you some successful results.

Can I find high quality weed or hash in Ganja?

Yes, while quality varies from dealer to dealer.

Can I find hash in Ganja?

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

What is the price for weed and hash in Ganja?

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 Ganja so do not know the prices, but should be lower.

Five random facts about cannabis

1. Weed Was The First Online Sale

Of course, it was illegal back then. In the early 1970s, Stanford students bought a bag of weed from MIT students. This means that the first product ever sold online was cannabis!

2. Ancient Use

Cannabis has been used for over 6,000 years. Archaeological evidence suggests it was cultivated in ancient China around 4000 BC for fiber.

3. Psychoactive Compound

The primary psychoactive compound in cannabis is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), responsible for the "high" sensation

4. Medical Use

Cannabis is used to treat a variety of medical conditions, including chronic pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and chemotherapy-induced nausea.

5. Munchies

THC increases appetite, often leading to the "munchies," a craving for food after consuming cannabis.