Former Uruguay President José Mujica, Who Led Nation to Become First-Ever to Legalize Cannabis, Dies at 89

Mujica served as president from 2010 to 2015, during which time he oversaw a bold and historic shift in drug policy. In 2013, under his leadership, Uruguay passed legislation legalizing the cultivation, distribution, and sale of marijuana. The move made Uruguay the first country to fully legalize recreational cannabis, setting the stage for broader international reform. Canada followed suit five years later, becoming the second nation to legalize in 2018.

The law, which faced both international scrutiny and domestic resistance, was part of Mujica’s broader approach to progressive social policy and criminal justice reform. “We’re not legalizing cannabis because we’re in love with it, but because the prohibition is worse than the drug,” Mujica said at the time, emphasizing a public health-based approach to drug use. Mujica was known globally not just for his policy leadership, but for his modest lifestyle and blunt, principled rhetoric. A former guerrilla fighter who spent over a decade in prison, much of it in solitary confinement, he later entered politics and became a symbol of humility and anti-corruption. He famously donated the majority of his presidential salary to charity and lived in a small farmhouse rather than the presidential palace.

His legacy as a leader is deeply tied to the groundbreaking cannabis reform that helped shift the global conversation on drug policy. Uruguay’s model—marked by tight state regulation, low prices, and restricted advertising—continues to be studied by policymakers worldwide.

Mujica retired from the Senate in 2020 due to health concerns but remained an influential voice in politics. He is survived by his wife, former Senator Lucía Topolansky.