Country goes to pot

POT-SMOKERS in Uruguay will become the first in the world to buy the drug for recreational use, as chemists aim to start selling it in July.

Far from the cannabis cafes of the Netherlands and other states that have decriminalised cannabis, the South American country is the first to fully legalise the drug all the way from production to sale.

Already allowed by the government to grow cannabis in their homes and smoke it in clubs, Uruguayans in a few weeks will be able to buy it from pharmacies. Buyers must sign up to ensure they have fulfilled licensing procedures and do not exceed the monthly maximum of 40 grams.

The cannabis is grown at secret plantations by private companies regulated by the state. A gram will cost $1.30.