Brazil’s Supreme Court decriminalises possession of marijuana for personal use

Brazils Supreme Court on Tuesday voted to decriminalize possession of marijuana for personal use, making the nation one of Latin Americas last to do so, in a move that could reduce its massive prison population...

In 2006, Brazils Congress approved a law that sought to punish individuals caught carrying small amounts of drugs, including marijuana, with alternative penalties such as community service..

The majority of pre-trial detainees and those convicted of drug trafficking in Brazil are first-time offenders, who carried small amounts of illicit substance with them, caught in routine police operations, unarmed and with no evidence of any relationship with organized crime, said Ilona Szab, president of Igarap Institute, a think tank focusing on public security...

Congress has responded to the top courts ongoing deliberations by separately advancing a proposal to tighten drug legislation, which would complicate the legal picture surrounding marijuana possession...

By contrast, Gustavo Scandelari, a specialist on Brazils penal code at law firm Dotti Advogados, said he doesnt foresee the ruling bringing about a significant shift from the status quo, even after the top court establishes a maximum quantity of marijuana for personal use..

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