Marijuana Legalization, Uruguay Style

Via the BBC:  Uruguay cannabis growers’ clubs: Registration begins

Uruguay has started registering cannabis growers’ clubs as part of the government’s plan to legalise the drug.

Licensed clubs of up to 45 members will be allowed to grow a maximum of 99 plants each year.

In August, growing up to six plants of cannabis at home became legal.

[…]

Under the legislation, each club member can produce no more than 480g of cannabis home each year and the club’s growing fields cannot be within 150m of a school, college or a drug rehabilitation centre.

[…]

The legislation has been the brainchild of the outgoing and outspoken President Jose Mujica, who has argued that if the state controls the growth and sale of cannabis production, it can weaken and disarm an illegal drug trade which damages lives across Latin America.

The policy will also allow sales of the substance at pharmacies.

The direction of this policy could come into question if the rightward candidate, Lacalle Pou, wins election in the the run-off at the end of the month.

 

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Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter