St. Petersburg, Russia
Last updated on November 21st, 2025 at 07:37 am
Cannabis Travel Guide
Tolerance for smokers
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Marijuana laws and legislation for St. Petersburg
Marijuana is illegal in Russia, and the country has strict laws regarding cannabis use. Both recreational and medicinal use are prohibited, and possession of marijuana can be punished with imprisonment, heavy fines, or both. Cultivating cannabis is also illegal, and the government shows no interest in relaxing its stance on cannabis use. Despite international pressure to reform marijuana laws, Russia has made no progress toward decriminalizing or legalizing cannabis. The country continues to treat marijuana use as a crime, and trafficking cannabis is considered a serious offense under Russian law.
Please note that marijuana laws are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, consult your country's official resources or seek legal advice.
Law enforcement:
Fortunately, the police here accept all kinds of bribes, but be prepared to pay a hefty sum if you're caught with cannabis, usually $300-$500. The police can stop and search you or demand a drug test for any reason. So, if you're walking around with dreadlocks and a Bob Marley shirt, you could quickly find yourself paying a large bribe. Citizens in Russia generally have far too many problems to really care if you smoke. So, as long as you're not causing too much of a disturbance, no one will call the police just because you're smoking weed. The general rule is: stay inconspicuous and try to blend in, and you won't have any problems.
Where can you buy marijuana in St. Petersburg?
Every park (called a ploshchad) is worth a visit, and you can also ask younger people for directions there. Another option is the rynoks (markets), but avoid train stations and metro stations.
The best way to ask is “vui s’nyet gdye mozhna kupit anasha,” which means something like, “Do you know where I can buy marijuana?” Anasha is the word for weed, but it usually refers to leaves of exceptionally poor quality. It’s better to replace “anasha” with “shishki,” which means “flowers,” or, for those who know what you’re looking for, “buds.” Hashish is likely to be easier to find and will be called “gashish”—just replace the “h” in hashish with a “g.” It will be black hashish, so make sure you’re not being sold just black rubber. If you encounter deaf-mute people in public who are known to be involved in street-level hashish dealing, make eye contact and signal to them. The sign that you want to buy hashish/flowers is to make a fist, spread your thumb and little finger apart, and touch your mouth with your thumb. This means you want to smoke. This hand gesture was understood by all nationalities in the former Soviet Union.
Traveling through Russia offers numerous opportunities to buy drugs. I bought them in all sorts of places, from Tashkent to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk… always by asking friendly locals, or in some cases, the pimps who wanted to sell me prostitutes. Be careful and behave accordingly on the street… don't go to parks at night, and always be aware of the police. Never hand over money first and don't show how much you have… Most dealers prefer US dollars to local rubles.
Our latest information indicates that the best and safest way to buy cannabis in a city where it's illegal is to get to know locals. People in their late teens to mid-twenties usually know how to get you good hash. Russians are very friendly and nice once you get past their cool exterior, and they'll usually smoke you for free once they realize you're okay. If you don't have any local friends, go to clubs and ask around, looking for young people. If you ask directly, people will usually say they don't know anything. You'll have to chat a bit and mention your own smoking history to put them at ease enough to talk about weed. Taxi drivers might also give you a chance sometimes, but be careful and never ride alone! In Russia, it's generally expected that if you approach someone, you'll either smoke them out or pay them some money, maybe 10-15 percent of the price. Usually, you'll just say it cost more than the average. Russian terms for cannabis include Kanabis, Ganja, Trava, Gash Hish, Gedroponiks; terms for smoking include Pokoritz, Koritz (which can also refer to tobacco).
Comments
In a simple roadside shop, this guy helped me buy natural and healthy cannabis that made my vacation unforgettable. I always contact him at dopefast420@gmail.com. I can wholeheartedly recommend his cannabis.
Marijuana prices
Prices are generally high (compared to the cost of living) and availability is low.
Pretty expensive… Expect to pay around $100 for a 5-gram piece of hashish… a bit less for the equivalent amount of bud. Unless you're into marijuana, steer clear of Anasha – it's not worth it and will probably give you a headache rather than a high.
If you shop on your own without local help, expect significantly higher prices. As soon as people realize you're a foreigner, they'll try to charge you more. Hashish costs between $8 and $25 per gram, depending on the quality and the vendor. Marijuana usually costs $50 or $60 per eighth, although it's measured by volume (matchboxes, jars).
Brands:
All the marijuana sold in Moscow is imported from neighboring countries. The quality of the marijuana varies from very good to low-quality.
Marijuana brands
Weed is generally hard to find here, and when you do find it, it's usually expensive and of poor quality. However, you can get lucky. Hashish is much more popular and usually of very good quality, imported directly from Afghanistan or Central Asia.
Further information
Never give anyone money without at least getting their phone number. Be careful and avoid people who seem shady or untrustworthy, and never let on that you're carrying a large sum of cash. Smoking methods here are often very improvised, but highly effective. They value economical consumption and get really high in the process. A simple water bottle pipe called a "plushka" (Russian for "cannon") is commonly used. Russians are resourceful and know how to smoke with almost anything. The great thing about hashish is that you can easily cook it down to butter and get very high even without a smoking device. Any joints offered to you almost certainly contain tobacco. Overall, St. Petersburg is a beautiful, bustling city. It's very interesting and a feast for the eyes to take a walk around while stoned.
St. Petersburg city history:
While Moscow is the political heart and symbolic center of Russia, St. Petersburg is considered the country's cultural capital. "Moscow has a much more active nightlife in terms of the pub scene, whereas St. Petersburg is more bohemian," said Mike Scollon, a 30-year-old American writer who lived in St. Petersburg for two and a half years.
The many waterways that crisscross the Neva Delta have earned St. Petersburg the nickname "Venice of the North." However, Russians have had trouble agreeing on an official name. Since its founding in 1703 as St. Petersburg in honor of Saint Peter, the city has undergone three name changes. In 1914, it became Petrograd, and in 1924, it was renamed Leningrad in honor of the father of the Communist Revolution. But when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russians felt a wave of nostalgia and restored the city's original name. Often called the "Northern Capital of Russia," the Baltic city has over four million inhabitants. And, as in many other Russian cities, "it has everything you could want," said Scollon.
"The selection of drugs ranges from heroin, ecstasy and cocaine to traditional mood enhancers like shredded grass with stems, seeds and all the trimmings," he said, noting that mushrooms are also very popular with locals during the season.
Scollon explained that marijuana is sold “in a ‘stakan,’ a glass jar. The amount is measured by filling matchboxes and placing them in the jar.” He said that hashish and marijuana smokers in St. Petersburg commonly use a plastic bottle with a hole in the bottom. “They put hashish on the cigarette butt, stick the cigarette in the hole, let the smoke rise, take the bottle, twist off the cap, release the vaporizer, and inhale more hashish than they have ever received in one go,” he said.
He added that Papierosi, traditional Russian cigarettes, are used for rolling joints. “They have a small white paper filter and tobacco at the end,” he said. “Russians blow out the tobacco, bend the paper filter, and insert the bowl. Zigzag teeth aren’t necessary.” Jen, another American living in St. Petersburg, agreed that Papierosi are “a ready-made casing for a joint.”
“Belomorkanal cigarettes are a repulsive mix of the worst tobaccos and have no filter,” she said. “They cost about five cents a pack, and their simple cardboard tubes are great for refilling with weed. The older generation buys them for the tobacco, the younger generation for the tube.” Jen added, “Soft drugs are pretty easy to come by if you know someone.”
“You usually meet a young Russian in a bar. Weed is pretty cheap and usually comes in shake form,” Jen said. “Russians like to measure it in matchboxes and carry it around in folded pieces of newspaper. A stakan is basically what we would call a QP.” But Scollon warned that the country’s draconian drug laws could spoil the party. “Russia is not a pleasant place to use drugs. You can go to prison for a very, very long time for a joint,” he said.
In 1998, the Russian Duma passed laws that made possession of any drugs—no matter how small the quantity—punishable by long prison sentences. Even the appearance of being under the influence of drugs is considered a misdemeanor, and the police can compel suspects to submit to blood or urine tests. Drug-related offenses result in arrests totaling a low six-figure sum annually. "At the very least, you might get a good beating at the police station," said Scollon, "but that can happen anytime anyway."
A June 2000 amendment to the law even prohibited media outlets such as newspapers, television, and websites from disseminating information about the "production, preparation, and consumption" of drugs. Jen pointed out, however, that corruption could benefit drug users. "Like everything in Russia, the police act arbitrarily, so it's practically irrelevant whether you're walking around with a joint in your pocket or not," she said. "In most situations, a $10 bribe or a good bottle of cognac can pretty much fix anything." Kurt Vinion, a photojournalist who worked in St. Petersburg, said the fun factor there was high. "If there was ever a city where you could have fun, it's St. Pete," he said. "In Russia, you can have anything if you're willing to pay for it."
However, he warned that travelers in search of drugs would have to "live dangerously".
“The police are ruthless, the drugs are hard to find – unless you know the right person – and even then it's reminiscent of the days of covert operations,” said Vinion. “Anyone who gets caught faces a harsh prison sentence.”
He recommended that visitors wishing to buy drugs “try the taxi drivers at Metro or Hollywood Nights,” two bars popular with foreigners. However, he warned that without fluent Russian, one “will likely have a nerve-wracking ride with the same taxi drivers, who will try to squeeze every last dollar or ruble out of you while showing you off to their armed friends.”
Vinion said that those who didn't want to take risks could recharge in the bar scene. "Beer is the choice of the new generation, while vodka is quickly going out of fashion in the scene," he said. "You have to expect Western prices for beer and drinks; $2,50 to $3 seems to be the norm in typical clubs like the National Hunt."