NYT: Americas Coalition Puts Marijuana Legalization Up for Discussion

[Logical]

A comprehensive report on drug policy in the Americas released Friday by a consortium of nations suggests that the legalization of marijuana, but not other illicit drugs, be considered among a range of ideas to reassess how the drug war is carried out.

The report, released by the Organization of American States walked a careful line in not recommending any single approach to the drug problem and encouraging “flexibility.”

Prompted by President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia at the Summit of the Americas last year to answer growing dissatisfaction and calls for new strategies in the drug war, the report’s 400 pages mainly summarize and distill previous research and debate on the subject.

But the fact that it gave weight to exploring legalizing or de-penalizing marijuana was seized on by advocates of more liberal drug use laws as a landmark and a potential catalyst for less restrictive laws in a number of countries.

more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/18/world/americas/nations-in-americas-urged-to-consider-legalizing-pot.html

[Eleanors38]

1. This may be a positive step if OAS members follow up with a

Legalization and regulatory scheme. Currently, U.S. Trade agreements are used to cow-down nations wanting to legalize; effect prohibition or we degrade your trade status. There is strength in numbers, however.

[Logical]

2. Great point. n-t

[patrice]

3. KICK for "the little guys" in this. nt

[The Wizard]

4. As long as our law makers

can have secret Cayman Islands accounts where big pharma can send bribe money the legalization of marijuana will not happen.

[TeamPooka]

5. Prohibition is a failed public policy...again.

Legalizing cannabis turns a money pool controlled by cartels into a revenue stream of jobs, taxes and products that benefit all citizens.

[SHRED]

6. The Cartels and Drug "Warriors" giving up their "cash cow"?

The Prison/Industrial/Complex losing tenants?

Not a chance.


Heck...we have home growers right here in the USA who never want their prices to drop.
Lots of entities both legal and illegal working to keep marijuana illegal for the most part.