The bill was proposed by the governing left wing Broad Front coalition, and voted by all their congressmen.
While the vote appears close, there was more consensus than is shown.
My party (Partido Independiente, the smallest of the four represented) decided not to vote the whole bill, but only some parts, because they're for legalization, but against some of the particulars of the bill.
The most troubling aspects of the bill are:
- The state will license and regulate private cannabis farms and then sell the marijuana at pharmacies.
- There will be a monthly limit of 40 grams per person and
- all consumers will have to register.
My representative, Dr. Daniel Radío (a medical doctor), had presented an alternative bill, and so had Dr. Lacalle Pou (a lawyer) from the major opposition party Partido Nacional.
The other big opposing party, Partido Colorado, is strongly against legalization, which makes sense since it mostly represents right-wing / military types and the elderly.
For a quick summary of the political positions:
Broad Front - Left wing - more akin to Democrats in U.S. (but way more left wing). They include all the spectrum from the former left wing guerrillas, communists, european-style socialists, etc.
Partido Nacional / "Blancos" - Right wing - more akin to Republicans, but pretty centrist overall. Hit very hard by corruption when they formed government.
Partido Colorado - Right wing - akin to Republicans, include most extreme right wing types. Their government led to the military dictatorship.
Partido Independiente - tries to be moderate left wing.
There are an estimate 180.000 consumers of marijuana in my country, about 5% of the population.
Edit: one of the main criticisms was about self cultivated marijuana, which was finally contemplated in the bill.
President Mujica (a very colorful character) said this:
"We are not going to say that weed is good. What happens is, consumers don't give a damn about our advice, but we won't leave them stranded because of that. And they like the adventure of buying from the drug dealer around here and there, because it is illegal. And while it's clandestine, you can smell marijuana around in many places"
"Nosotros nos vamos a decir que la maruja es buena. Lo que pasa es que los que consumen no dan bola a los consejos y no por ello hay que dejarlos en banda. Y están atrás de la aventura de comprarle al narcotraficante por aquí y por allá porque es clandestino. Y aunque es clandestino el olor se siente por muchas partes"