Uruguay Legalized Cannabis First. Its Biggest Cannabis Fair Returns in December

Published by greenleafinsights on October 26, 2026

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Uruguay legalized cannabis before anyone else. Its biggest cannabis fair, now in its 13th year, returns to Montevideo December 5 and 6 with CBD neuroscience, a hempcrete workshop and a session on getting cannabis clubs’ paperwork in order.

In 2013, Uruguay became the first country to legalize cannabis from seed to sale. More than a decade later, the country’s cannabis clubs are still working out something less glamorous than legalization: payroll, taxes and registration.

That’s one of the workshops on the early lineup for ExpoCannabis Uruguay 2026, the 13th edition of the country’s largest cannabis fair. It takes place Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, December 6 at the LATU Events Center in Montevideo.

What’s on the program so far

The science. Biochemist Carolina Echeverry, a neuroscience researcher at Uruguay’s Clemente Estable Institute for Biological Research, will present on cannabidiol as a neuroprotective agent. Pediatric emergency physician Luz Marina Pereira Pérez, who specializes in endocannabinology, will speak on cannabis and neurodevelopmental disorders in children.

The clubs. Rosina Yemini will walk club operators through their labor, tax and administrative obligations, including how to register as a civil association with Uruguay’s tax authority. Attendees will work with the actual forms.

The hemp. From the U.S., Cait Curley will run an intro to industrial hemp and hempcrete, the building material made from the woody core of the plant mixed with a lime binder, with a live demonstration.

The food. Claudia Rodríguez will lead a session on edibles as a smoke-free alternative and the quality and labeling challenges that come with them.