Yesterday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro appeared before the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, where he firmly criticized outdated anti-drug policies (such as cannabis prohibition) and proposed alternatives to state violence.
This is far from the first time Petro has expressed these views before the international body. True to form, the president spoke during the opening session in Vienna, offering a fresh and unorthodox perspective on drug policy. His speech was published in full on the Colombian presidency’s website.
Petro began by mentioning, almost in passing, how the “problem” of drug use is a relatively recent invention in human history, when in fact, for the most part, these substances have long existed alongside us. Efforts to ban, restrict and demonize drug use are fairly recent and inseparable from political agendas with ulterior motives, resulting in “flawed public policies” that, according to him, should be evaluated.
Weed for protest, cocaine for capital, fentanyl for the apocalypse
One of the pillars of Gustavo Petro’s speech at the UN revolved around cannabis; more specifically, its prohibition and its effects on societies around the world.
In the United States, the demonization of marijuana has a long history, reaching a turning point during the Vietnam War and its association with youth protests and the anti-war hippie movement. The global prohibition of cannabis, rooted in US political interests, had devastating consequences for countries in the Global South, as Petro emphasized. He also questioned how many Colombians died as a result of this war, which was not theirs, suggesting that some form of compensation might be warranted.
Regarding the War on Drugs, the Colombian president doesn’t mince words: “Prohibition leads to the creation of the mafia, and the creation of the mafia leads to death and violence.” Contrary to the still-prevailing view, Petro reiterated how …
Read More
Author: Marian Venini / High Times
