LEGALIZARLA: Uruguay Becomes First Nation to Oversee Pot Sales, From Seed to Smoke.

The new policy comes as much of Latin America, Canada and numerous U.S. states have legalized marijuana for limited use, even as several countries continue to have tough interdiction policies against the cocaine trade.

Some leaders in the region on the front lines of the U.S.-backed war on drugs have increasingly voiced fatigue with those hard-line policies. But so far, Uruguay has most decidedly broken with the prohibitionist approach, making this country’s experiment a test case that is being closely watched by governments and activists on both sides of the drug-legalization debate.

The move has also encouraged businesses, like Vancouver-based International Cannabis Corp., which has a license to harvest and export the marijuana it is producing in Uruguay.

“We are ready to start exporting to more than 12 countries, and we will do it with a seal of quality from the Uruguayan Health Ministry,” said Alejandro Antalich, chief executive of the company.

The report also claims that Uruguay’s program has “enthralled pro-pot activists and smokers abroad but has lukewarm support at home.” But the expected tax revenues certainly have big support in Montevideo.