Uruguay set to become first country in the world to legalise marijuana

Uruguay moved a step closer to becoming the first country in the world to legalise marijuana in a last-ditch assault on the country's ruthless drug cartels.

The bill, if passed, would allow anyone to grow, sell and consume cannabis freely, while a confidential registry would keep people from buying more than 40 grams a month.

The unprecedented plan to put the government at the center of a legal marijuana industry has already made it halfway through congress, giving President Jose Mujica a long-sought victory in his effort to explore alternatives to the global war on drugs.

All 50 members of the governing Broad Front coalition approved the proposal in a party line vote just before midnight Wednesday, keeping a narrow majority of the 96 lawmakers present after more than 13 hours of passionate debate.

The measure now goes to the Senate, where Mujica's coalition has a bigger majority and passage is expected to come within weeks for the proposal to make Uruguay the world's first nation to create a legal, regulated marijuana market.

Marijuana legalization efforts have gained momentum across the Americas in recent years as leaders watch the death toll rise from military responses to unabated drug trafficking in Mexico and Central America. Presidents Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia and Otto Perez Molina of Guatemala also have called for reforms, and a recent report by a commission of the Organization of American States encouraged new approaches, including legalization of marijuana.