Yo, what’s up y’all? It’s your boy Dan, and let me tell you about Uruguay – a country that’s way ahead of the game when it comes to that good-good. While other countries are still debating whether or not to legalize medical cannabis, Uruguay has already gone full throttle and legalized both medicinal and recreational use. So, if you’re in the country and looking to buy some top-quality cannabis, this legal guide has got you covered.
Let’s go back in time for a bit and learn about the history of cannabis in Uruguay. We don’t know exactly when it first came to South America, but we do know that the Spanish brought the plant with them during colonization. The indigenous people were already using various plants for traditional rituals, but when cannabis finally showed up, they recognized it for its psychoactive properties. The Spanish also set up large hemp plantations, which continued for several centuries.
Nowadays, cannabis seeds are legal to use, purchase, and sell in Uruguay. You can even cultivate plants from them and share them with friends. However, you can’t take marijuana out of the country or send it to other parts of the world.
When it comes to possession and consumption, it’s all good in Uruguay. They were actually the first country in the world to legalize recreational use in 2013. It was never classified as a criminal activity, and a law was passed in 1974 that allowed judges to determine whether someone possessed drugs for personal or business purposes. President Mujica took it a step further and legalized cannabis entirely in Law 19.172 in 2012 to reduce organized crime and associated social problems.
As a user, you can access up to 10 grams of cannabis per week, but retailers aren’t allowed to be stressed out by mass purchases once per month. Price-wise, it used to be guaranteed at $1 per gram initially, but it has since changed (going down rather than up) with an edge over illegal suppliers.
For medical marijuana users, the laws are pretty much the same as for recreational users. Patients have to register with the Institution of Regulation and Control of Cannabis (IRCCA) through their local post office and can purchase up to 10 grams per week and 40 grams per month.
CBD is also legal in Uruguay but is considerably more expensive than cannabis ($200 per Epifractan compared to $1 per gram). Two-thirds of people who use CBD obtained it from unauthorized “artisan” producers which is unregulated and hazardous for those self-medicating.
Cannabis cultivation is legal too – you can grow up to six plants for non-business purposes that produce less than 480 grams per year. Smoking clubs can grow up to 99 plants per year (for registered members only) that produce less than 480 grams per person each year.
Selling cannabis is also legal and regulated by the government. Adults above 18 years old can purchase up to 40 grams of cannabis every month with boxes warning of potential health risks just like tobacco packaging. Foreigners cannot buy cannabis, which means there’s no “cannabis tourism,” and carrying it across international borders is considered a criminal offense.
Despite legalization efforts, the black market for cannabis continues to thrive with seven out of ten consumers still obtaining products from there. However, there are many reliable seed banks available in the market which offer a great assortment at affordable prices.
So there you have it – everything you need to know about buying high-quality cannabis in Uruguay. While public attitudes may not be as liberal as their laws suggest, we can all agree that Uruguay is leading the way when it comes to progressive drug policies.
Check out Expo Cannabis – a platform of information on medicinal, therapeutic, and industrial cannabis that hosts international guests and local artists – happening on December 4-6 this year.