Chile is getting closer to decriminalizing cannabis.

On Tuesday, the lower house of the Chilean congress approved a bill that strives to change the current law prohibiting the use and cultivation of pot. As reported by Reuters, the bill was approved by a large margin, with 68 votes in favor and 39 against.

The bill, which is still far from becoming a law, would allow for the possession of up to 10 grams of cannabis and the growing of up to six marijuana plants.

Karol Cariola, a communist lawmaker who is a member of President Michelle Bachelet's leftist coalition, exclaimed her enthusiasm to reporters saying, "It is a historic day for medicinal users who wish to stop being persecuted and be able to access a medicine that they can grow in their gardens."

The growing, selling, and transporting of cannabis has, up to this point, been a crime punishable with up to 15 years in prison. The country has slowly been making strides in the legalization of marijuana, as earlier this year Chile’s capital city of Santiago was the site of Latin America's first ever medical marijuana farm.

Chile is -- with regards to cannabis consumption -- a land of contrasts. Considered one of Latin America's most conservative nations, surveys nevertheless reveal that cannabis consumption is higher there than in the rest of the region.

The decriminalization of the use of cannabis in the Americas is a trend. In the United States, over 20 states currently allow for some form of medical marijuana. Colorado and Washington have in fact legalized pot for personal use.

In 2013, the South American country of Uruguay became the first country to create a legal marijuana market, and this year Jamaica decriminalized the personal use of pot.

As reported by the BBC, some Chilean lawmakers have found fault with the bill’s approval, fearing that it will encourage drug use.