Colombian President Gustavo Petro has controversially argued that cocaine is no more harmful than alcohol and that legalizing it would be more effective in combating global trafficking than the current war on drugs. Speaking during a ministerial meeting, Petro claimed cocaine's illegal status was due to geopolitics, not its actual dangers. He proposed global legalization, comparing its sale to alcohol, and stated it would eliminate drug trafficking networks. Petro contrasted cocaine with fentanyl, blaming US pharmaceutical companies for the opioid crisis and pointing out that Colombia does not manufacture the deadly synthetic drug.
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro delivers a speech during a May Day rally in Bogota on May 1, 2024. — AFP picas a first-time user . Exclusively for Malay Mail readers: Use codeBOGOTA, Feb 9 — Colombian President Gustavo Petro has claimed that cocaine was no more harmful that liquor, saying that legalising the substance would be more effective in combating global trafficking than the current war on drugs.
“Cocaine is illegal because it is made in Latin America, not because it is worse than whisky,” he was quoted as saying by CNN.Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine, with production surging under Petro’s presidency to reaching a record 2,600 metric tonnes in 2023, according to the United Nations.
The remarks come amid rising tensions between Colombia and the United States, including a recent standoff with US President Donald Trump over the deportation of Colombian migrants.
COLOMBIA DRUG LEGALIZATION COCAINE GUSTAVO PETRO UNITED STATES
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