![Jamaican ganja farmer checks his marijuana plants Jamaican ganja farmer checks his marijuana plants](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/gettyimages_477093051.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
A law passed in Jamaica on Tuesday decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, while also laying the groundwork for regulating the drug’s cultivation and medical usage.
The new law states that possession of up to 2 oz. of pot or weed, as it is otherwise known, will be considered a petty offense without going on a person’s criminal record, the Associated Press reported.
It also legalizes the cultivation of up to five marijuana plants on any premises and the use of the drug for religious purposes. Furthermore, tourists prescribed medical marijuana abroad can apply for a permit to buy it locally.
The amendment in Jamaica, where weed has long been a part of daily life but remained illegal, comes soon after Alaska became the third U.S. state to legalize recreational marijuana.
However, both American and Jamaican authorities insisted that this does not change the strict rules and guidelines around cross-border drug trafficking and illegal cultivation.
7 Dizzying GIFs of Spinning Cannabis Strains
![Hawgs Breath](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nugshotz-hawgs-breath.gif?w=2400&quality=75)
![Ed Rosenthal Super Bud](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nugshotz-ed-rosenthal-super-bud.gif?w=2400&quality=75)
![Grape Ape](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nugshotz-grape-ape.gif?w=2400&quality=75)
![Bubba Kush](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nugshotz-bubba-kush.gif?w=2400&quality=75)
![Black Poison](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nugshotz-black-poison161.gif?w=2400&quality=75)
![Platinum Bubba Kush](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nugshotz-platinum-bubba-kush.gif?w=2400&quality=75)
![Mango Haze](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nugshotz-mango-haze.gif?w=2400&quality=75)
![Platinum OG Kush](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nugshotz-platinum-og-kush.gif?w=2400&quality=75)
![Hindu Kush](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nugshotz-hindu-kush.gif?w=2400&quality=75)
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Melinda French Gates Is Going It Alone
- What to Do if You Can’t Afford Your Medications
- How to Buy Groceries Without Breaking the Bank
- Sienna Miller Is the Reason to Watch Horizon
- Why So Many Bitcoin Mining Companies Are Pivoting to AI
- The 15 Best Movies to Watch on a Plane
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Rishi Iyengar at rishi.iyengar@timeasia.com