SANTIAGO, Chile – A bill to allow Chileans to grow small amounts of marijuana has won approval in the country’s lower house of Congress.
The measure passed Tuesday on a vote of 68 to 39, with five abstentions. It would allow Chileans to grow up to six plants for medical, recreational or spiritual use.
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The measure still must go before a health commission and be approved by the Senate.
Planting, selling and transporting marijuana is illegal in Chile and carries prison terms of up to 15 years. Chileans who wish to use marijuana for medical purposes must obtain government approval, a process many describe as cumbersome.
A Chilean municipality began planting legal medical marijuana in October as part of a government-approved pilot program aimed at helping ease the pain endured by cancer patients.
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