The authorities of the Latin American state, after making the decision to legalize soft drugs, began a campaign to develop marijuana production in the country. The plantations promise to bring up to 27 tons of “harvest” per year. But it is hardly worth talking about an increase in tourist flow to the region due to innovations, experts are sure.

Montevideo could become the new Amsterdam. The Uruguayan authorities have not only legalized soft drugs, but are already allocating land for their cultivation. About 100 hectares of land will be used for plantations, which will provide the country with up to 27 tons of marijuana per year. It is planned to sell no more than 30 g of psychotropic substances per month to needy citizens. The sale of drugs to foreigners will be officially prohibited. However, local residents may try to make money from the innovation, says Vladimir Travkin, editor-in-chief of Latin America magazine.

“I think that individual citizens can do this, because statistics, as you know, are incorrect. A well-known joke about chicken: if I ate chicken and you didn’t eat it, then according to statistics, everyone got half a chicken. You noticed correctly on this side of the matter, it requires attention and careful study,” explained Travkin.

Through the legal sale of the drug, the authorities are trying to combat its shadow market. It was previously stated that the illegal turnover of marijuana in the country exceeds $75 million. In other words, a legal gram of the substance in the country can cost about $3, which is tens of times cheaper than European prices for the drug.

Uruguay's innovation will not radically change the picture of the tourism market, but some Russians can take advantage of the situation, says Yegor Churakov, director of the Unknown World travel agency.

"I don't think it will change the market much, but the flow from Europe will flow straight there. The European market will just become more limited. I think that in Amsterdam everyone plays by the rules, but I don't think it will change much market. You can, of course, estimate this at some fraction of a percent, three to five percent, maybe, and that’s with a good imagination,” says Churakov.

The legalization of marijuana in Uruguay will not make tourism a mainstream destination in the future, experts say. Travel to Latin American countries still remains expensive, noted Irina Ryabovol, a representative of the Momondo.ru portal.

“It’s most profitable to travel to Uruguay on your own. In the high season, January-February, a round-trip air ticket from Moscow will cost about 40-50 thousand. But it should be noted that accommodation in Uruguay is quite cheap: for a week in a four-star hotel you will cost about 20 thousand rubles. Well, and, of course, we must take into account that the standard of living in Uruguay is quite low, you can eat cheaply there, and so on,” said Ryabovol.

Officially, the use of marijuana for citizens is now permitted not only in the Netherlands, but also in the Czech Republic, Spain and Portugal. You can buy drugs illegally in almost all countries of mass tourism.

Alexey Kiselev

Uruguay is striving to become a drug leader