According to a Reuters report on December 10, Uruguay’s Senate passed a bill legalizing marijuana, making it the first country in the world to legalize the cultivation, sale, and consumption of the drug.
The Uruguayan Senate passed the bill by a vote of 16 to 13. Supporters of the bill gathered near the Capitol building, holding high Jamaican flags honoring Bob Marley and chanting, “Freedom to grow, grow in Uruguay!”
According to reports, after the bill’s enactment, Uruguayan citizens aged 18 and over who register in a government database will be able to purchase 40 grams of marijuana each month from licensed pharmacists. 120 days after the bill’s enactment, Uruguayans will be allowed to grow six marijuana plants (approximately 480 grams) at home each year and form marijuana smoking clubs of 15 to 45 people, each of which can grow up to 99 plants annually.
Uruguayan First Lady Lucia Topolansky said, “When the bill is enacted next April, we will begin a new experience, a cultural shift in public health and the fight against drug trafficking.”
It is reported that other countries around the world have also relaxed regulations on marijuana. For example, the Netherlands allows the sale of marijuana in coffee shops, and countries such as Canada and Israel have legal procedures for growing medical marijuana. However, recreational use of marijuana remains illegal in these countries. Uruguay is the first country in the world to legalize marijuana.