The price of legal cannabis in Uruguay has risen again.

Uruguay currently allows the legal sale of four different Cannabis varieties through licensed pharmacies in the country. Since the beginning of this month, the government-set sales prices for these varieties have slightly increased.

According to a local report by San Jose Ahora, "With the introduction of the new pricing, the price for the Alpha variety has risen from $480 to $485; the Beta variety from $500 to $505; the Gamma variety from $560 to $565; and the Epsilon variety from $610 to $615."

The outlet also reported: "The system of the Institute for the Regulation and Control of Cannabis (IRCCA) automatically verifies whether buyers have exceeded the limits established by current regulations: no more than 10 grams in the last 7 days, no more than 40 grams in the last 30 days, and no more than 480 grams in the last 12 months."

This is not the first time the Uruguayan government has increased the price of legal cannabis sold through pharmacies. Back in August 2025, the IRCCA raised the prices of the four approved varieties by $10.

In 2013, Uruguayan lawmakers passed a national bill for the legalization of adult-use cannabis, making it the first country in the world to do so. Since then, although several other countries have followed suit with national legalization, Uruguay maintains its title as the first.

The sale of legal cannabis in Uruguay began in 2017 through nationally registered pharmacies. A key feature of this model is the establishment of preset prices for all adult-use products sold in pharmacies, which are then periodically updated by the country's regulatory body.

Adult residents of Uruguay can obtain legal cannabis through three methods: the first is through pharmacies, while the other two are home cultivation and joining cannabis cultivation clubs. Initially, only two varieties were approved for sale through pharmacies, but that number has now increased to four.

The two original varieties sold in pharmacies were "Alpha" and "Beta," both featuring a Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of no more than 9% and a Cannabidiol (CBD) content of no more than 3%. Subsequently, in 2022, Uruguay approved a third variety, "Gamma," with a THC content of no more than 15% and a CBD content of no more than 1%. The fourth variety, "Epsilon," was approved at the end of 2024, with a THC content of no more than 20% and a CBD content of no more than 1%.

A recent analysis of sales statistics provided by the Institute for the Regulation and Control of Cannabis (IRCCA) for the 2025 calendar year shows that industry data for the country's legal adult-use market is demonstrating robust growth.

According to a report by El País, citing data from the Institute for the Regulation and Control of Cannabis (IRCCA), the volume of cannabis sold through licensed pharmacies in 2025 increased by one ton compared to recent years. Last year, the amount purchased by registered users through pharmacies reached 4,290 kg, exceeding expectations from 2024 (3,207 kg) and 2023 (3,254 kg).

The media outlet also reported: "Last year, the production of the four varieties (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Epsilon)—grown by state-authorized companies on secured land in Libertad, San José, and available in selected pharmacies nationwide—reached 4,658 kg. This also surpassed the expected output for 2024 (3,374 kg) and 2023 (2,767 kg). This represents the highest production and sales volume for pharmacy-distributed cannabis since production began in 2017. Prior to 2022, this figure consistently hovered around 2,000 kg."

Since Uruguay implemented legalization, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, South Africa, and the Czech Republic have also adopted national-level legalization measures. However, among these nations, Uruguay is currently the only one to implement a uniform pricing model for these legal products.

The theory behind Uruguay’s pricing strategy is that by selling through a national pharmacy network and maintaining affordable prices, the unregulated illegal market can be countered. In Uruguay, legal purchases are restricted to residents, and to date, over 75,000 consumers have registered in the country.