Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that growing, possessing and smoking marijuana for recreation is legal under the right to freedom. The measure was approved in 4-1 vote on the five-justice panel, backing the argument that smoking marijuana is covered under the right of “free development of personality.”

Here’s a quick look at five countries where Marijuana is legal and what the law states:

Czech Republic

Patrick Casserly, who made his name as a businessman in the information technology market, has taken on a new challenge - ganja.

For the past seven months, Casserly has been running Medicanja Jamaica Limited as its chief executive officer, a quiet appointment that he confirmed to Wednesday Business on Monday.

His immediate focus is getting six of the company's medical marijuana products to market. That will happen by year end, said the Medicanja CEO.

"We're waiting on the necessary approvals from the Ministry of Health," he said.

"The Ministry of Health has been stellar in working hand in hand with us in bringing us to the stage where we can have prescription medication that is made in Jamaica from produce in Jamaica."

Marijuana researchers on the Caribbean island of Jamaica are planning to develop new pharmaceutical products following the partial decriminalisation of cannabis.

Following the partial decriminalisation of cannabis earlier this year, Jamaican scientists are harnessing more than 40 years of research in a bid to cash in on the lucrative global medical marijuana market.

Pharmacist and university lecturer Dr Marcia Williams made a presentation highlighting studies that suggest cannabis can reduce the risk of contracting diabetes.

Dr Williams, who was invited to the Island to give a presentation at the Bermuda College by the Bermuda Pharmaceutical Association during Pharmacy Week, is a lecturer at the University of Technology in Jamaica and holds a PhD in Pharmaceutics from Queen’s University in Belfast.

Excuse me while I light my spliff. Good God I gotta take a lift. From reality I just can’t drift, That’s why I’m staying with this riff.”

IT was fitting that head of the Bob Marley Group of Companies, Marie Bruce, and Brand Manager Debbie Bissoon made a bold attempt to perform the opening verse from Bob Marley’s Easy Skanking, to signal the organisation’s endorsement of Rastafari Rootzfest Presents High Times 2015 Jamaican World Cannabis Cup.

The event is scheduled for Long Bay Beach Park in Negril from November 12-15. It was officially launched last Wednesday at the Bob Marley Museum in St Andrew. It will be the first ganja event to be sanctioned by the Jamaican Government since the amendment of the Dangerous Drug Act in April.

Timeless Herbal Care has once again created history as the first Jamaican company to be awarded a research and development permit for medicinal ganja from Hon Minister Phillip Paulwell on Thursday 22nd October 2015 in Kingston.

Courtney Betty Chief Executive officer of Timeless Herbal care thanked Government Ministers Phillip Paulwell and Mark Golding for their support and encouragement for companies like Timeless.  He recognized that together Government and private sector both have a strong role to play in building a vibrant medicinal ganja industry in Jamaica.

Jamaica’s Rastafarians complain of barriers

Citiva Medical, a research company specialising in safe and effective cannabis-based products, is making strides in Jamaica.

In July, Citiva forged a partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, to identify which combinations of cannabinoids are effective at treating specific diseases and symptoms.

"Hopefully, with the help of UWI, Citiva can begin to understand how and why cannabis has been effective at treating the various disease states we've seen success with," said Josh Stanley, founder and CEO of Citiva.

"We are excited to partner with Citiva; they have done so much to advance this industry and people's understanding of the potential benefits of cannabis," said UWI principal Dr Archibald McDonald.

Canadian nutraceutical and pharmaceutical company, Timeless Herbal Care Limited (THC), which has operations in Jamaica, is the first private entity to be granted a ganja research licence by the Government.

The licence is the third to be issued, following similar awards to the University of the West Indies (UWI), and University of Technology (UTech)

The licence permits THC to cultivate ganja (marijuana) locally for research and development, in keeping with provisions outlined in the amended Dangerous Drugs Act.

Timeless Herbal Care, a company formed by a group of Jamaicans, on Thursday became only the third local entity given permission to legally cultivate ganja, according to Phillip Paulwell, minister of science, technology, energy and mining.

"They were granted a permit this morning (Thursday) to cultivate marijuana/ganja for the purpose of research. They do have long-term objectives in terms of commercialisation, but they certainly would be awaiting the Cannabis Licensing Authority's regulations to pursue that aspect. What I do know is that they are very keen on doing research on the essential oils and to do value-added products for the export market," Paulwell disclosed.