Brazil’s top court likely to decriminalise possession of marijuana for personal use

Decision could reduce country’s massive prison population

Brazil’s Supreme Court on Tuesday moved toward decriminalising possession of marijuana for personal use, which would make it one of the last countries in Latin America to do so and could reduce its massive prison population.

José Antonio Dias Toffoli said Tuesday that he is in favour of decriminalisation, joining five other justices who voted that way since deliberations began in 2015.

That establishes a majority on the 11-person court. The last two justices to vote must do so before the ruling is final, and they were expected to do so soon.

The justices must also determine the maximum quantity of marijuana that would be characterised as being for personal use and when the ruling will enter into effect.

How long it will take them to do so remains unclear.