Uruguay MPs back marijuana legalisation bill

Admin
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Posts: 377

Uruguay MPs back marijuana legalisation bill Aug 1, 2013 9:14:17 GMT

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Post by Admin on Aug 1, 2013 9:14:17 GMT

Members of Uruguay's House of Representatives have passed a bill to legalise marijuana.

If it goes on to be approved by the Senate, Uruguay will become the first country to regulate the production, distribution and sale of marijuana.

The measure is backed by the government of President Jose Mujica, who says it will remove profits from drug dealers and divert users from harder drugs.

Under the bill, only the government would be allowed to sell marijuana.

The state would assume "the control and regulation of the importation, exportation, plantation, cultivation, the harvest, the production, the acquisition, the storage, the commercialisation and the distribution of cannabis and its by-products".

Buyers would have to be registered on a database and be over the age of 18. They would be able to buy up to 40g (1.4oz) per month in specially licensed pharmacies or grow up to six plants at home.

Foreigners would be excluded from the measure.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23516966

Admin
Administrator

Posts: 377

Uruguay MPs back marijuana legalisation bill Aug 2, 2013 9:42:58 GMT

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Post by Admin on Aug 2, 2013 9:42:58 GMT

The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) says it is concerned by the approval by Uruguayan MPs of a bill which would legalise marijuana.

The INCB says the law would "be in complete contravention to the provisions of the international drug treaties to which Uruguay is party".

Under the new law, the state would assume control of growing and selling cannabis to registered users.

The bill still needs to be passed by Uruguay's senate before becoming law.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23535990

cenydd
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Posts: 525
Politics: Liberal

Uruguay MPs back marijuana legalisation bill Aug 6, 2013 9:59:45 GMT

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Post by cenydd on Aug 6, 2013 9:59:45 GMT

Seems like a very brave move in some ways, and certainly an unusual one. I'm not sure quite why the INCB is quite so upset about it, though - if they decide to go down this road as a sovereign country for themselves, it should be up to them. I guess there is some danger of abuse, but if the government are controlling supply so completely that they are only selling it directly themselves (not the kind of I would normally favour in principle, but I guess 'special circumstances' can be said to apply in this case), and they are able to control it and only sell in small 'personal' quantities and not at all to anyone from outside the country, I don't see it as an issue for the international community at all. Frankly there are countries exporting far more volume of it illegally than are likely to be as a result of this kind of idea.

A liberal’s disagreement with a socialist or social democrat comes down to this: we both seek equality, but the only equality a liberal thinks is worth striving for is an equality of freedom. A liberal’s disagreement with conservatives comes down to this: we both seek freedom, but a liberal believes no one can achieve it alone. There is such a thing as society, and government’s purpose is to shape a society in which individual freedom can flourish. (Michael Ignatieff)