| Medicinal: | Illegal |
| Recreational: | Illegal |
Cannabis is illegal in Vietnam, but is cultivated within the country and is known as Vietnamese: cần sa.
Cannabis was probably introduced to Southeast Asia around the 16th century, and used medicinally and in cuisine.[1]
In 1968, the government of the Republic of Vietnam "publicly condemned" the use or trafficking of cannabis, and instructed local chiefs to prevent its cultivation.[2] In 1969, USAID's Office of Public Safety began eradication of cannabis fields, including aerial eradication in the Mekong Delta. The program was popularly resented and also politically unpalatable; in 1971, OPS was advised not to eradicate cannabis in areas controlled by the Hòa Hảo sect, for fear of driving them to join the Việt Cộng (National Liberation Front).[3]
In the 1960s, the United States government became concerned with cannabis use by US troops in Vietnam.[4] Though alcohol was the drug most commonly used by American troops in the Vietnam War, cannabis was the second-most common. Initially rates of usage among deployed soldiers were comparable to those of their stateside peers, with 29% of troops departing Vietnam in 1967 reporting having ever used marijuana in their lives. A 1976 study however showed that from 1967 to 1971, the proportion of troops having used marijuana peaked at 34% before stabilizing to 18%, while the number of troops who had used cannabis prior to deployment stayed around 8%.[5]