Lots happening on the Drug War front. First, the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy, headed by former Presidents of Mexico, Colombia and Brazil, issues a report confirming that the tide of opinion in South America is turning against the Drug Warriors. In some respects the report simply states the obvious:
It is imperative to rectify the ‘war on drugs’ strategy pursued in the region over the past 30 years… Prohibitionist policies based on the eradication of production and on the disruption of drug flows as well as on the criminalization of consumption have not yielded the expected results. We are further than ever from the announced goal of eradicating drugs.
Who can doubt this? Ex-Presidents Cardoso, Gaviria and Zedillo suggest that drug use be treated as a public health not a criminal matter. This too seems a more sensible dedication of resources than a failed drug war that has crippled Colombia and shows every sign of crippling Mexico too.
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