‘Mujica Gold’: Ex Uruguay leader gets high honours with pot tribute
May 23, 2015
The variety of pot was created "as a tribute" to the colorful iconoclast "in recognition of his work," said Javier Ruiz, part of the team that created the seed.
Under Mujica, Uruguay became the first country in the world to fully legalise marijuana in 2013.
"Mujica gold," with its "fruity and floral" aroma, hit markets last year and was an immediate success, Ruiz told AFP.
The seed already has a committed following of growers.
"Those who cultivate it, cultivate it again," he said.
Acknowledging that the variety´s name was "striking," Ruiz said he wasn´t trying to gain market advantage with the moniker.
Instead, he was simply naming it after the man who passed the controversial law that, once fully implemented, will regulate the production, distribution and consumption of pot in Uruguay.
"Some people wanted to try out something nice for Pepe," Ruiz said, using the ex-president´s nickname.
Ketama Seeds, which created the variety and is headquartered in Navarra, Spain, sells packets of 10 seeds for about $94.
During his five years in office, the now 80-year-old Mujica legalised marijuana, gay marriage and abortion and railed against global inequality.
He attracted international attention for living in a modest farm house, driving a beat-up Volkswagen Beetle and giving most of his salary to charity.
The colorful leader stepped down from office in March amid high popularity, handing power to successor Tabare Vazquez, a buttoned-down politician with a more traditional style.
