Uruguay Struggles to Keep up with Pot Demand

In 2017, marijuana went on sale in Uruguay under a 2013 law that made it the first country to legalize a pot market. The nation is still deciding how to meet demand in its effort to undermine the many drug traffickers who have control of marijuana sales through the black market. The head of Uruguay’s National Drugs Council explained that the demand for marijuana is greater than the productive capacity within the country. Uruguay is having the opposite of the problem that many states in the United States are facing, which is an oversupply of legalized marijuana.

The law in Uruguay allows for registered users to buy up to 1.4 ounces of marijuana a month at certain pharmacies. Of the estimated 1,200 pharmacies in Uruguay, only 14 have agreed to participate in marijuana distribution due to the fact that many worry about low profit margins and a fear of being robbed . The law also allows the growing of pot by licensed individuals and the formation of growers and users clubs.

Uruguay’s 8,750 registered individual growers are allowed to harvest up to a little over a pound each annually. Around 147,000 Uruguayans between the ages of 18 and 65 consume marijuana, with about a third of them using it weekly. But so far only about 35,000 have registered to use the legal marijuana system. Even with legal users sharing their pot, Uruguay’s cannabis control institute says that the regulated market reaches just about half the country’s users.

In New Jersey, possession of a very small quantity of marijuana can produce significant consequences, including a driver’s license suspension that can range from 6 months to 2 years. If you have been charged with possession of marijuana or possession of any other drug in Bergen County, you should contact Frank T. Luciano who has been defending cases of these types for over 40 years. He is a lifetime member of NORML’s legal committee and a longtime member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. You can assess Frank T. Luciano’s skills by visiting his Testimonials page on his website.

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