Uruguay’s Senate Health Commission has passed a controversial bill allowing for the legalisation of the production and use of marijuana.

The legislation if approved by the full Senate next month will also permit home use, and smoking clubs but all under strict government control.

The idea is to take the drug out of the world of traffickers.

By opening the door to regulation of cannabis, Uruguay’s government says it is using an alternative to the “war on drugs” approach which has created more problems than it has solved.