Uruguay, the first country where you can smoke marijuana wherever you like

A new law makes the South American country the first in the world to sell the drug over the counter
The Observer (UK)
Saturday, May 27, 2017

Not everyone is pleased with how legal marijuana is being implemented in Uruguay. “I’m happy because now you can plant without going to prison,” says Juan Manuel Varela, the 28-year-old manager of MDAR (Spanish-language acronym for high-quality marijuana), one of the cannabis clubs that have been set up under the new legislation. “But like many things in Uruguay, the new law is a good idea that is being applied badly.” Cannabis activists are upset that the new law falls short of full legalisation. “This law actually stigmatises marijuana more than it legalises it,” says Daniel Vidart. “Why should there be a registry of marijuana consumers and not one of alcohol consumers? Alcohol is a much deadlier drug."