Uruguay and Legal Cannabis in 2025

Imagine: a cozy café in Montevideo's Old City. A joint is being passed around at the outdoor table. "No thanks," I say with a smile. “You don't smoke?” one acquaintance asks. “I don't like how it feels,” I reply. He looks at me as if I had just said I don't like air.

This is Uruguay. No one makes a big deal out of cannabis. It's just there - everywhere. Its scent can be noticed in parks and on balconies; CBD creams are sold in regular pharmacies, and “fun” brownies can be found at farmers’ markets.

How the system works

In Uruguay, personal cannabis use was decriminalized in 1974. But the real breakthrough came in 2013, when the country became the first in the world to fully legalize production and sale for residents.

Uruguayans can:

• Buy in pharmacies (after registration)
• Grow at home (up to 6 plants)
• Join cooperative clubs (and get a share of the harvest)

Pharmacy sales are strictly controlled: the buyer is identified by fingerprint and cannot buy more than 10 grams per week (up to 40 grams per month). Payment is only in cash, because banks still do not want to work with pharmacies selling the substance.

What can you buy?

State-produced cannabis comes in four varieties, in sealed bags with bright labels:

• Alfa: Indica, up to 9% THC, 3%+ CBD – about 470 pesos (~9.40 USD)
• Beta: Sativa, up to 9% THC, 3%+ CBD - 490 pesos
• Gamma: Indica, up to 15% THC - 550 pesos
• Epsilon: Sativa, up to 20% THC - 600 pesos

That's enough to roll about 20 joints a week.

Want to grow it yourself?

In Uruguay, you don't have to explain yourself to the police - you just register at the post office. Each household can grow up to 6 plants and harvest up to 480 g a year. The main condition is not to sell.

What if you want something stronger?

There are cannabis clubs for that. They work like a gym: you pay a membership fee and get your share of the harvest. The strains are stronger, the cultivation is better, and the atmosphere is family-like. Clubs have 15–45 members, and each person can receive up to 480 g a year.

What do the statistics say?

• In 2018, only 11% of consumers bought from illegal sellers, down from 58% in 2014.
• 70% of registered users choose the pharmacy route.
• Problematic use remained at 16% - legalization did not change the figures.

What about culture?

Uruguay has not become another Netherlands. Tourists can't buy legal cannabis - only residents. But the atmosphere is still relaxed: in many hostels, bars, rooftops and festivals, no one pretends that “this is not happening.”

The Ministry of Tourism is discussing the possibility of opening the market to foreign visitors, but for now, the rules remain strict.

Business, export and technology

Uruguay is not just about relaxation. It is also an international player: more than 100 companies work with cannabis - from medicine to cosmetics and agricultural exports. Since 2018, the country has been selling seeds, oils, flowers and preparations to foreign markets.

Where's it going?

It is likely heading toward even greater normalization. Cannabis has become commonplace in Uruguay. It is neither praised nor feared. It is cheap (only 2–3 dollars per gram), affordable, and socially acceptable, especially against the backdrop of expensive cigarettes and strict anti-smoking laws.

Perhaps this is the adult model: without hype, but with respect for freedom of choice.

This article is based on materials from the GURUGUAY service GURUGUAY