Latin America analyst Geoffrey Ramsey over at The Pan-American Post reports on the release of regulations concerning Uruguay’s new marijuana law:
This is a major victory for alternative drug policies, and fits with the overarching logic behind the marijuana law. As Uruguayan civil society advocates, Calzada and President Mujica himself have all said: the measure is about recognizing an existing social reality. Like it or not, there is a market for the drug, which is mostly dominated by criminal and frequently violent elements. By allowing people to come out and register their own plants without fear of repercussion for the first time in the country’s history, Uruguayan authorities are taking an important first step towards bringing the black market into the light.