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The bill to regulate marijuana in Uruguay
is aimed at resolving contradictions in our current legal system.
Addressing drug use in society with repressive policies
has only resulted in failure.
It's time to improve this reality.
Let's see how
The bill outlines a system of permits and a new regulatory mechanism.
Once passed it will create the IRCCA (Institute of Regulation and Control of Cannabis),
Once passed it will create the IRCCA (Institute of Regulation and Control of Cannabis),
which will oversee this process.
The IRCCA will consist of the Ministry of Public Health;
the Ministry of Farming, Agriculture and Fishing;
the Ministry of Social Development
and the National Drug Council, among other organizations.
It will be the main body overseeing regulation
and will carry out research to evaluate its performance.
Now let's go over the main points of the law
The license system
In order to control the market there will be three kinds of licenses,
permitting production, commercialization,
and personal use.
The production licenses will authorize establishments
to grow marijuana for personal and medicinal use.
They will also authorize the production of hemp,
non-psychoactive cannabis,
for use in textiles or paper.
The commercialization licenses will provide the marijuana
to be sold in certified outlets.
The licenses for personal use will allow individuals
The licenses for personal use will allow individuals
to obtain marijuana through four different ways:
By personal cultivation, in which the law allows for domestic cultivation of up to 6 plants.
Authorized vendors, which will limit individuals to 40 grams a person per month.
Medicinal use, with the authorization of the Ministry of Public Health.
And cannabis clubs, establishments which
can collectively grow a quantity of plants proportional to their number of members.
Let's move on to the regulatory framework.
It will establish restrictions with the aim of regulating this process
by reducing any associated harms and risks.
These are:
Prohibiting sale to minors.
Strict sentences for those who drive under the influence.
Sanctions for those who produce without authorization.
And, like tobacco,
it will be subject to laws regarding consumption in public places
and advertising will be prohibited.
All of the above form part of the marijuana regulation bill
which is currently being discussed in Congress.
Separating the marijuana market will reduce a large portion of illicit drug trafficking profits,
a 30 million dollar a year business in Uruguay.
These will instead shift much-needed resources for education,
health, treatment and drug prevention campaigns.
Responsible Regulation. It makes sense for Uruguay.