Uruguay Rejects Cannabis Tourism: "We Have None and We Don’t Want Any"

Liliam Kechichián, Uruguay’s Minister of Tourism, has been unequivocal in this respect: "We have no cannabis tourism and don’t want any". These words were spoken over a year and a half after the coming into force of the legislation (approved towards the end of 2013) that regulates the production, marketing, possession and recreational and medical uses of marijuana. The initiative came from José Mujica, who will go down in history as a pioneer in cannabis legalisation. Tabaré Vázquez’s coming to power, however, has changed the course of events.

According to the Minister, the Government does not want to exploit cannabis tourism although there have been visitors in the last few months asking for the plant at the country’s pharmacies, as has happened in the coastal city of Punta del Este. She also says, however, that this is no "massive phenomenon" and that "whenever they are told they cannot purchase it, they understand this perfectly".

Kechichián has been careful to point out that existing legislation is very clear about "consumption for residents". The regulation approved under Mujica allows home cultivation of the herb for one’s own consumption, at an annual maximum of six plants per person, as well as the existence of grower clubs, each one of which is authorised to cooperatively grow up to 99 plants per year.

Moreover, although this has yet to come into effect, duly registered consumers will also be able to purchase up to 40 grams at authorised establishments, but this will only apply to Uruguayan nationals or to foreigners who have been residing in the country for at least 2 years. This is why Milton Romani, Secretary-General of the National Board of Drugs, has also sought to clarify that this type of tourism is "practically impossible".

Authorities believe that this fact should be very much borne in mind, as Uruguay, in 2015, received more than 2.9 million tourists, which amounts to almost all of the country’s population, of about 3.5 million), and represents a 5% increase over the previous year, according to official statistics.

These recent statements have clarified an issue that has been on the table since debates began regarding legislation on the herb. There were people in 2013 who wondered whether this American country was to become the main destination for lovers of travel and cannabis. Authorities were already insisting at the time that no scenario of the kind was to occur on Uruguayan soil. All in all, this is disappointing news for many.