During a televised cabinet meeting in Bogotá on February 5, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has expressed his opinion on the legality of cocaine. He argued that cocaine is no worse than whisky and that the narcotic is only outlawed as it is made in Latin America and legalizing it would “easily dismantle” illegal drug trafficking. Furthermore, he made a comparison to fentanyl, which is killing Americans and yet it’s a pharmacy drug by North American multinationals.
Petro, who has been a strong proponent of global legalization of illicit drugs since his election in 2022 argues that the failure of the “war on drugs” in Latin America demonstrates that ending the drug prohibition regime is the only way forward. Colombia produces the most significant amount of cocaine globally, and drug cartels generate political unrest and violence in the country. Petro believes that the US-led “crackdowns” on drug traffickers caused increased homicides and violence across Latin America.
The drug issue in Colombia is not new, and in 2023, the government repealed a degree that permitted the police to confiscate small amounts of drugs from users in public; basically, decriminalizing “small doses” of drugs. Petro defended the decision on Twitter, writing “If the constitution permits personal drug use, police should focus on drug lords, not small-time users.”
The world is not ready to consider the legalization of cocaine or any other hard drugs, given their debilitating effects and risk of addiction. While drug prohibition may not be the solution to the drug problem in Latin America, advocates for legalization will need to support rehabilitation and treatment programs to deal with the consequences of substance abuse.
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