I bet you have done a search online trying to find countries that have legalized the use of marijuana. There is no doubt that since many states in the USA started legalizing marijuana, there was bound to have many other countries take a keen interest. They have watched closely to see how the nation could benefit from the growth and selling of medical or recreational marijuana.
One of the latest countries to join the list of legalizing cannabis is Peru. The president of Peru recently signed a bill into law that was meant to legalize marijuana in the country. This is a historic move as the Peruvian Congress largely voted to approve the bill.
The legislation of legalizing marijuana in Peru will allow the citizens to possess, sell, and transport cannabis only for medical reasons. It is, however illegal for the citizens to cultivate marijuana. The government aims at creating a list of official growers and importers who will maintain an easy to track supply of marijuana in the country. Some of the patients in Peru that will use medical marijuana include those who suffer from cancer, chronic pain, and Parkinson’s. More conditions are likely to be listed with time.
Peru is not the only country that has legalized marijuana recently. We have countries such as Italy, Macedonia, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Australia, Greece, Turkey, Finland, Mexico, Poland, and Israel where you will need prescriptions before buying medical marijuana. In most cases you will find that these laws will cover only a few conditions and can vary from country to another. The restrictions are different with the aim of making sure the law serves the people of that country.
All is not lost even with only a few conditions listed in the legislations. Most marijuana laws have left room for research. This should make it possible for more conditions to be added to the list after proper research. In most cases, it would be only those licensed companies that can grow marijuana and help with the research. Not everyone can grow pot in their backyard.
Not all countries have a ban on individual growing of marijuana. In Chile, the citizens might be allowed to grow marijuana for personal use in their homes. It is the reason the country has the highest per capita marijuana use at the moment. The Chilean Congress is debating a bill that will allow individuals to grow up to 6 plants for each household. You can then use the pot for medical, spiritual reasons or recreational. Growing weed in your backyard could be the best news for most consumers.
Things are a bit different in Denmark. Pot is illegal, but if you are in Freetown, you can enjoy your pot without any problem. In Freetown, pot was declared to be legal and consumption rates have gone up. This has made the Danish police not to enforce marijuana ban on this area and the surrounding neighborhoods. This has created a loophole where marijuana could easily be sold in clubs or private home. A country like South Africa also has similar laws as you can have your weed in specific regions.
India has worked on the legalization of its pot just like the US. India has legalized weed in different states, each having their own laws on how marijuana could be used. Puerto Rico is another place where medical marijuana is allowed, but the catch is that it can only be sold in forms a person cannot smoke.
There is no way that Jamaica could have missed on our list of countries that have legalized marijuana. Together with Netherlands and Uruguay, these are the most accepting countries when it comes to using marijuana. You could use marijuana for both recreational and medical purposes in these countries. If you are a Rastafarian in Jamaica, you are allowed to grow and use weed as you please. Anybody in Jamaica can grow up to five plants for personal consumption. It is important to note that public use is not allowed. You can enjoy using pot at your home but do not go smoking it in public places. The Netherlands has also made it possible for you to access and consume pot in coffee shops.
Do you think it would be a blow to criminals? One thing for sure, the drug dealers are going to feel the heat of losing their clients. It would be possible for many people now to access marijuana without having to go to dark alleys. On the other hand, the criminals might still benefit from the laws where only medical marijuana is allowed. For those people who need marijuana for recreation, they have to visit their dealers as usual. It is probably why most states in the US have now legalized marijuana for recreational use with a few restrictions to keep it in check.
