Lome, Togo

Smoking tolerance level [1= very illegal 5=virtually legal]: 3

Legislation: Marijuana in illegal in Togo, and so is any related action.

Law enforcement: Did not have any experience. Anyways, try to avoid the frequent night police patrols on the seaside road. Would not recommend doing any business/smoking there, unless you are sure what you are doing.

As generally in Africa, police will not look for trouble with foreigners – but if it finds the trouble it could cost you some money to get out of it.

Where to buy marijuana: Next to the the club attached to Palm Beach hotel (Privilege Club is the name, if I remember well) there are several motorbike taxi’s. Just go there and ask them for “Marijuana” or “Bidou”.

Bidou is the French/Togolese word for weed- each time there was somebody who had.

The guys have to go and take the stuff and this could last 5 – 10 minutes. Since it did not seem safe to wait there so long (the other taxi people will get into unwanted chat with you), it is OK to set up a meeting at the next corner – preferably not on the way to the seaside since there are several police patrols.

Do not pay in advance. Settle the price before (saying for eg: want to buy for 1000CFA) and mention that transport is included in this price. Otherwise, you will be asked the equivalent of aprox. 50cents for the transport. The bad thing with this ‘transport’ tax is that if they can charge it on you, it is clear that you are new there and the weed price will also be higher.

Marijuana prices: The grass is sold packed in small papers, roughly the equivalent of one full-marijuana joint.

Fair prices seemed: 3 pieces for 1000CFA (1.5euro)

Larger amount: 12 pieces for 2500 CFA (4.5 euro)

Marijuana brands: The weed needs a little tobacco mix for better burning. The quality is clearly lower than that of Ghana but seemed comparable with other neighboring countries.

Others reported that there was Quite good weed, and it is totally organic, because it is grown outside the capital, on farms.

More information: Do not get caught, either by local police, or by club bouncers smoking.