Market legal recreational hemp Uruguay

According to estimates by the relevant government agencies, the illegal market received less than about $ 22 million, and 68% of registered users legally grow psychoactive cannabis at home, 20% are members of hemp clubs and only 12% of total sales accounted for by pharmacies.

According to a published report by the relevant government agencies, despite problems with the supply of legal recreational cannabis, Uruguay redirected cannabisa sales by about $ 22 million from the illegal sector to a regulated market. 

In accordance with the policy of the aforementioned South American country, the implementation of the state hemp policy was rather slow. From the moment of its adoption in 2013 to the present day, adult residents of the country have three legal opportunities to receive recreational cannabis:

• growing at home - mechanism works from 2014;

• hemp clubs - since 2015;

• implementation through pharmacy chains- from July 19, 2017.

According to estimates by relevant government agencies, the illegal market did not receive about $ 22 million, with 68% of registered users legally growing psychoactive cannabis at home, 20% are members of cannabis clubs and only 12% of the total sales accounted for by pharmacies.

According to a joint official statement issued by the Institute for Regulation and Control of Cannabis (IRCCA) and the Uruguayan Regulatory Agency cannabisa & laquo; The current situation hinders the adequate development of the system and the occurrence of favorable consequences , such as reducing illicit access to marijuana, gradually increasing the use of controlled products with cannabis in terms of their quality and safety, as well as changing the practice of consuming users'.

Persistent problems with the supply of the necessary amount of legal psychoactive cannabis prevented, until recently, the normal functioning of this business. The regular acute shortage of the product required by the market led to the launch of a new application process in early February to increase the number of manufacturing companies. 

As part of this process, three companies will be additionally selected to grow recreational cannabis. Each of the winning companies must sign a contract with the government for the annual supply of 2,000 kg of green mass & raquo; Plants, and they themselves plan to conclude a contract for 5 years. Companies that have lost the competitive selection will be moved to an additional list of "expectations", which government agencies may attract to the market if it is decided to further expand this market in the country. 

Commentary of the Association "Ukrainian technical hemp"

Currently, only two companies have been granted licenses for the legal cultivation and sale of recreational cannabis in authorized pharmacies to carry out this activity. The only retail outlets where psychoactive cannabis can be legally purchased in Uruguay are the ICC Labs pharmacy chain, recently acquired by Canadian company Aurora Cannabis and Symbiosis. During the first 500 days of legal sales of psychoactive hemp through the above pharmacy chain, a total of 1916 kg were sold (an average of 3.8 kg / day). The total sales in pharmacies amounted to about $ 2.6 million, of which manufacturers companies earned $ 1.8 million.

Sales by pharmacies in Uruguay