Photos courtesy of AP
The first nation to legalise marijuana consumption countrywide, Uruguay will be closely watched by other nations considering similar laws.
Read this week’s exercise to learn more about legalisation.
Uruguay became the first country to legalise the growing, sale and smoking of marijuana on December 10, a pioneering social experiment that will be closely watched by other nations debating drug liberalisation.
A government-sponsored bill passed by 16-13 votes in the Senate provides for regulation of the cultivation, distribution and consumption of marijuana and is aimed at wresting the business from criminals in the small South American nation.
Backers of the law, some smoking joints, gathered near Congress holding green balloons, Jamaican flags in homage to Bob Marley and a sign saying: ‘Cultivating freedom, Uruguay grows.’
Cannabis consumers will be able to buy a maximum of 40 grammes each month from licensed pharmacies as long as they are Uruguayan residents over the age of 18 and registered on a government database that will monitor their monthly purchases.
When the law is implemented in 120 days, Uruguayans will be able to grow six marijuana plants in their homes a year, or as much as 480 grammes, and form smoking clubs of 15 to 45 members that can grow up to 99 plants per year.
Registered drug users should be able to start buying marijuana over the counter from licensed pharmacies in April. ''We begin a new experience in April. It involves a big cultural change that focuses on public health and the fight against drug trafficking,'' said Uruguay's first lady, Senator Luca Topolansky.
Other countries have decriminalised marijuana possession, and the Netherlands allows its sale in coffee shops, but Uruguay will be the first nation to legalise the whole chain from growing the plant to buying and selling its leaves.
Exercises
Find vocabulary words in the story that are synonyms of the following words.
1. customers …………………………
2. delivery …………………………
3. trial …………………………
4. purchase …………………………
Vocabulary
- liberalisation (n): an act to make something such as a law or a political or religious system less strict
cultivation (n): the preparation and use of land for growing plants or crops
backer (n): a person or company that gives support to somebody or something, especially financial support
cannabis (n): a drug made from the dried leaves and flowers or resin of the hemp plant
decriminalise (v): to remove or reduce the criminal classification or status of something
