Plain-language summaries, not legal advice. Check the official source linked on each rule.
Possession
Legal for registered residents
Uruguay legalized cannabis for adult residents in 2013, but access is tied to registration: users must be Uruguayan citizens or permanent residents, 18+, and enrolled in the IRCCA registry. Registered users may obtain up to 40 g per month and must choose a single legal channel — pharmacy, club or homegrow. Tourists cannot legally purchase cannabis.
Retail Sale
State-regulated pharmacy sales
State-regulated pharmacy sales to registered users operate under IRCCA oversight, with product supplied by licensed producers at capped potency. Cannabis clubs of 15–45 members may collectively grow and distribute to members. There is no commercial recreational market — advertising and commercial branding are prohibited.
Homegrow
Up to 6 plants (registered)
Registered home growers may cultivate up to six flowering plants per household. The annual harvest cap is 480 g. Registration with IRCCA is mandatory — unregistered cultivation remains illegal.
Social Clubs
Membership clubs (IRCCA-registered)
Uruguay is the only country with a fully legal cannabis club system: since 2014 (Ley 19.172), membership clubs registered with the IRCCA may cultivate collectively for their members. Hard limits: 15 to 45 members per club, up to 99 flowering plants, and a maximum of 480 grams per member per year (40 g/month). Members may only belong to one club and must choose one legal access channel (pharmacy, homegrow or club). Over 345 clubs and 12,000 members are registered, concentrated in Montevideo, Canelones and Maldonado.