A look at a proposal to legalize marijuana in the South American nation of Uruguay, compared with the new laws approved by voters this month to legalize use of the drug in the western U.S. states of Colorado and Washington:
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URUGUAY: The proposal formally introduced to Congress on Thursday would create a National Cannabis Institute with the power to license people and companies to produce marijuana for recreational, medical or industrial uses. It would allow adults to possess up to 40 grams (nearly 1.5 ounces) for personal use. It would also allow anyone to grow up to six pot plants and produce up to 480 grams (a little more than a pound) of marijuana in their own homes. People could join clubs of up to 15 pot smokers who together would be licensed by the state to grow as many as 90 plants at a time, producing up to 7,200 grams (254 ounces, or nearly 16 pounds) of marijuana a year.
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COLORADO: Allows adults 21 and older to possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana without a doctor's recommendation, and to grow up to six marijuana plants. It does not allow marijuana to be used publicly.
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WASHINGTON STATE: Decriminalizes the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana for adults over the age of 21. The state will license the growing, processing and labeling of marijuana.
