Uruguay: cannabis available in pharmacies in July

Continuation and conclusion of the The saga surrounding the release date Cannabis in pharmacies in Uruguay: The Uruguayan government announced last Friday that cannabis, for medical or recreational use, will be available for sale in pharmacies in July.

Sixteen pharmacies have already registered with the government to distribute cannabis. That number is expected to rise to around thirty soon, according to Juan Roballo, head of the National Drug Office.

To provide some context, Uruguay decided in 2013 to legalize the cultivation, distribution, and consumption of cannabis—a decision that was unique in the world at the time. But the rollout of the cannabis control and regulation system took time. Authorization for sales in pharmacies was postponed numerous times, particularly for safety reasons—since pharmacies did not know how to effectively protect their cannabis inventory—and due to prescription issues, as pharmacists were still unfamiliar with the product.

The government wants sales in pharmacies to «guarantee a certain level of quality and purity for a product» that citizens consume anyway. Cannabis sold in pharmacies will be grown under state supervision by registered growers. Higher quality will also help combat the black market, in addition to a price set at 1$30 per gram of weed—a far cry from the prices charged in European coffee shops in the Netherlands and their typical varieties.

Pharmacies will share a total of 400 kg of cannabis, which they must sell in 5-gram packages. Uruguayans who wish to purchase cannabis at pharmacies must be of legal age and register with the government starting May 2.

Purchases will be limited to 40 grams per month and 10 grams per week. Tourists will not be allowed to buy cannabis at pharmacies, but will likely be able to easily obtain it from Cannabis Social Club which are already permitted, as is growing for personal use.