As debates over cannabis reform continue across the globe, Uruguay remains the only country with more than a decade of real-world data on full adult-use legalization. That milestone took on new significance this year with the death of José “Pepe” Mujica, the former president who championed the world’s first national legalization framework.
Mujica’s law, passed in 2013, was never about profit. It aimed to dismantle hypocrisy, protect public health and reduce the harms of prohibition. Today, his vision lives on through Uruguay’s cannabis system, which continues to evolve and offer insights to countries still grappling with reform.
At C-Days 2025, a global cannabis and psychedelics summit held in Barcelona, Mercedes Ponce de León, founder of Latinnabis and director of Expo Cannabis Uruguay, presented a data-driven update on Uruguay’s cannabis model: what has worked, where challenges remain and what the world can learn from it.
Three Legal Channels, Over 100,000 Registered Consumers
Uruguay’s adult-use system allows for three legal pathways to access cannabis:
Home grow: Up to six flowering female plants and 480 grams per year
Cannabis clubs: Non-profit associations of 15 to 45 members, with up to 99 plants and a 40-gram monthly cap per person
Pharmacies: Up to 10 grams per week, sold in 5-gram packs, with four THC-limited strains authorized (up to 20% THC)
As of early 2025, 102,125 users were officially registered through these channels:
11,465 home growers
15,162 cannabis club members
75,498 pharmacy purchasers
The country has over 460 licensed clubs and 40 pharmacies participating in the program.
What’s Available and at What Cost?
Pharmacies remain the most common access point, offering four strains with distinct THC and CBD profiles. Cannabis is sold in sealed 5-gram packs, with prices set by the government:
Strain
%THC
%CBD
Psychoactivity
Price (UYU)
Approx. USD
Alfa
≤9
≥3
Medium/Low
$470
$11.24
Beta
≤9
≥3
Medium/Low
$490
$11.71
Gamma
≤15
≤1
High
$550
$13.15
Épsilon
≤20
≤1
High
$600
$14.34
Despite widespread access, restrictions …
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Author: Javier Hasse / High Times
