| Medicinal: | Illegal |
| Recreational: | Illegal |
Cannabis in Papua New Guinea is illegal, but the nation is a significant producer and consumer of cannabis. Cannabis is sometimes called Tok Pisin: spak brus in local parlance.
Cannabis is believed to have been introduced to PNG by Australian and American expatriates in the 1960s-1970s.[1] From them the habit spread to locals, and by the 1980s cannabis could be bought in the major cities.[2]
Though cannabis can be grown throughout PNG, it is largely grown in the mountainous highlands from 1400–2200 m in elevation, particularly in the drier areas of the highlands where it is said to grow a more powerful product.[2]
Cannabis is the only illegal drug produced in significant amounts in PNG, and is the most popular illegal drug consumed there; it is largely grown in Eastern Highlands, Western Highlands, and Southern Highlands provinces, and from there transported to other sites in the country.[3] [4] Cannabis is produced for domestic use, as well as for export (primarily to Australia), and per some reports cannabis has been bartered for weapons.[5]
Cannabis is a lucrative cash crop[6] in PNG, and is exported to Australia across the Torres Strait. 1990 reports state the "PNG Gold" was valued at AU$12,000 per kilogram.