What was the first country in the world to legalize cannabis?

In December 2013, Uruguay became the first nation in the world to legalize the sale, cultivation, and distribution of cannabis. Drug policy reformers and human rights activists applauded the controversial move. Government regulators had been tasked with the complex work of drafting regulations, receiving and vetting applications, and establishing the technical framework to monitor a cannabis market.

Uruguay’s cannabis law allows individuals to access the drug in three ways: grow at home, belong to a club, or buy it in licensed pharmacies. One year and nine months after the president signed the law, just over 3,000 people registered to be at home growers. Since the law was enacted, approximately seven clubs were licensed to use the drug.

By 2015, not a single gram of cannabis had yet been cultivated for sale in public pharmacies.

What do you think about that partticular law? Did you know the right answer to the question? What do you think about legalizing cannabis in general? Tell us in the comments below!

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29 Comments

billyboy915

Bill Moss, decriminalization and legality are different. The drug policy of Portugal was put in place in 2001, legally effective from July 2001, maintained the status of illegality for using or possessing any drug for personal use without authorization. However, the offense was changed from a criminal one, with prison as a possible punishment, to an administrative one if the amount possessed was no more than a ten-day supply of that substance. Portugal never legalized marijuana use, it was merely decriminalized.

billyboy915

Bill Johnson, The drug policy of Portugal, put in place in 2001, legally effective from July 2001, maintained the status of illegality for using or possessing any drug for personal use without authorization. However, the offense was changed from a criminal one, with prison as a possible punishment, to an administrative one if the amount possessed was no more than a ten-day supply of that substance. Portugal never legalized marijuana use, it was merely decriminalized.

Joyce Belcher Wright

Yea got this one

molonlabe

Not legal in the Netherlands merely tolerated

Ed Bona

Two countries I can move to.

recordpete

The Netherlands made it legal to sell and buy long ago. Uruguay made it legal to grow, sell and buy in 2013. That's not what the question asked! However I have never tried it and don't care either, and I'm a child of the 50s.

Michael Carter

Used to be a weed maniac...if I wasn't smoking it I was looking for it. Got caught in 1971 by a buddy of mine who was a cop and he told me if he ever caught me again he would arrest me. Since I didn't think I would do well in prison I quit cold turkey. Haven't smoke any since and really have no desire to.

Tracy Jewbacca Seymour

Bill Johnson, Portugal decriminalized it there is a difference

Sarah Hearn-vonFoerster

A sensible country. Where are our sensible leaders? Certainly not showing yet.

Sara Freeman

I live in Colorado

Gery Tillmanns

Making it illegal anywhere was a huge waste of money.

Teo Sinclair

Larry W. Jones No, Larry. You need to read my comment more carefully.

Bill Coe

I believe people are confusing decriminalization (Portugal) and legalization (Uraguay). Portugal decriminalised the use of all drugs in 2001. Weed, cocaine, heroin, you name it — Portugal decided to treat possession and use of small quantities of these drugs as a public health issue, not a criminal one. The drugs were still illegal, of course.