Uruguay legalized recreational cannabis in December 2013, making Uruguay the first country in the in modern times to legalize cannabis. In 2014, Uruguay legalized growing plants at home, as well as the formation of a state-controlled marijuana dispensary regime. In October 2014 the Government began registering growers' clubs, allowed in turn to grow a maximum of 99 cannabis plants annually. As of August 2015, there were over 2,500 registered growers.In 2017, a limited number of pharmacies were authorized to sell cannabis commercially.