Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that while police may also capture the substance, it will no longer be illegal to purchase and possess up to 40 grams of marijuana for personal usage. Marijuana will still be prohibited in Brazil and its use in open spaces will continue to be. However, it was determined that a person who used marijuana and had 40 grams, or around 80 joints, would not be charged with a criminal offense and would only have to appear before a judge to hear a warning about the dangers of the drug. However, the judges decided that authorities will be able to apprehend a person who is caught selling pot even if it is less than 40 gr when there are obvious signs of intent to market it.
The ruling is the latest indication of the growing international popularity of the medication, making the country of 203 million the largest to adopt it. More than 20 nations, the majority of which are in Europe and the Americas, have legalized or decriminalized marijuana for recreational use.
The SC stated that until legislation is passed, its recommendations for personal use of marijuana will remain in place. A bill that would change the Brazilian Constitution and make pot hands illegal is being spearheaded by conservatives in Brazil’s Congress. If passed by lawmakers, such legislation had presuppress the ruling but still be able to be challenged on legal grounds.
