Allows planting, cultivation and harvesting and industrialization and trade up to eight cannabis plants per household. It allows quantity of up to 25 grams of marijuana for personal consumption.
Requires that the quantity of marijuana possesses or transported must fall within personal consumption limits.
Gives power to Executive Branch to regulate the provisions and mechanisms for access to seeds, being intended for personal consumption plantations.
To protect average citizen, the law mandates a punishment of 20 months' to ten years imprisonment if a person who produces marijuana causes psychological or physical dependency in others.
Mandates that "the Executive Branch shall ensure that, both public and private sectors will provide care and treatment to all people with addictions to substances covered by this law at request."
Establishes a committee under the aegis of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), which within a period of eighteen months after enactment of the law must submit an evaluation report on the effects of this new law.
The committee will also develop "activities aimed at improving the social image of people who use the aforementioned substances."
Legality of marijuana in Latin America varies from country to country. In general, in Latin America, cannabis is tolerated and/or decriminalized in most countries, with the exception of Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras and Guatemala. However, the tolerance may not extend to tourists.
Here is a brief guide of marijuana regulations in Latin America:
ARGENTINA: Decriminalized for personal use in small amounts and for consumption only in private locations. Public consumption is generally accepted among the young adults and overlooked by police in the suburbs.
BELIZE: Illegal, but use by locals is slightly tolerated.
BOLIVIA: Possession illegal. No move to decriminalize.
BRAZIL: Possession illegal.
CHILE: Personal use of marijuana in small quantities on a private place is not against the law. More than one person using it at the same place is considered as a group and thus is considered illegal.
COLOMBIA: Possession of small quantities of all drugs legal; permitted “personal dose” for marijuana is 20 grams.
COSTA RICA: Illegal, but tolerated. Watch out for being set
ECUADOR: Possession illegal. No move to decriminalize.
GUATEMALA: Highly illegal. Possession by Guatemalans in not normally prosecuted for personal use, but tourists are commonly arrested and jailed for several days before being released.
HONDURAS: Illegal, but use by locals is slightly tolerated.
PANAMA: Illegal
PARAGUAY: Possession illegal. No move to decriminalize.
PERU: Possession of up to 8 grams (0.28 oz) of marijuana is legal as long as one isn’t in possession of another drug. However, I’ve read some first hand accounts about the police being fairly strict. Caution is urged.
URUGUAY: Possession for personal use not penalized; law does not specify quantity for “personal” amount.
VENEZUELA: Possession of up to 20 grams not punished.
