In 2013, Uruguay became the first country to fully legalize and regulate recreational cannabis. Its pioneering approach put the state—not private retailers alone—in charge of controlling production, distribution, and sales.
Uruguay’s parliament approved Law 19.172 in December 2013, during the presidency of José Mujica. The policy was designed partly as an alternative to prohibition and an effort to weaken illegal drug markets. Adults could eventually obtain cannabis through three regulated routes: home cultivation, membership in cannabis clubs, or purchases from licensed pharmacies.
The law did not mean unrestricted commercial marijuana. Buyers had to register, sales were limited, advertising was prohibited, and cannabis purchases were restricted to Uruguayan citizens and legal residents. Retail sales began only in July 2017, after delays in building the state-controlled system. The Netherlands is a common mix-up: its coffeeshop policy tolerated retail possession in practice, but it did not create Uruguay’s nationwide, legally regulated supply chain.