Marijuana enjoys a legal high in 2014

Washington

IT'S been something of a breakthrough year for marijuana, the once shunned intoxicant that is steadily gaining ground as a legal high in parts of the world. In 2014, Uruguay may have been the only country to fully legalise pot, but a growing number of US states followed parts of Europe in moving in a similar direction.

And news that the family of the late reggae great Bob Marley has approved the marketing of "Marley Natural", an upmarket marijuana brand, reinforced the upbeat mood among cannabis campaigners. In May, Uruguay became the first - and so far only - country in the world to allow citizens to grow, buy and consume marijuana.