Medical Marijuana Legalized in Colombia

Via the BBC:  Colombia fully legalises medical marijuana

Colombia’s president has signed a decree fully legalising medical marijuana in a shift away from preventing drug crop production.

Juan Manuel Santos said the move put Colombia “in the group of countries that are at the forefront…in the use of natural resources to fight disease”.

But, he said, the country would still fight illegal drug production.

Up until now, marijuana production in Colombia had fallen into a legal grey area.

While a 1986 law allowed for the manufacture, export, sale and medical and scientific use of marijuana, the practice was, until Tuesday, never formally regulated.

Anyone wishing to grow marijuana must now apply to the National Narcotics Council for a licence. Medical marijuana is used for medical ailments such as Crohn’s disease, seizures, HIV and nausea.

For the record, Santos admits to inhaling whilst a student in Kansas in the 1970s.

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Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. James Pearce says:

    Yay, Columbia!

    That reminds me….have you watched Narcos (a Netflix show) at all, Steven?

  2. Rafer Janders says:

    No, wait, sorry, I have to apologize. Medical marijuana was actually legalized in the Philippines, not Colombia. Very very sorry for this mix-up.

  3. gVOR08 says:

    Can’t remember the source, but a week or so ago I saw a good article on the War Against Drugs. Said there’s broad agreement that it’s counterproductive and destructive, but the U. S. will not end it. Predicted it will end because Latin American countries will eventually stop cooperating and legalize production. Makes me wonder if this might become an opening wedge.