'War on drugs' has failed, say Latin American leaders

[alp227]

Source: The Observer

A historic meeting of Latin America's leaders, to be attended by Barack Obama, will hear serving heads of state admit that the war on drugs has been a failure and that alternatives to prohibition must now be found.

The Summit of the Americas, to be held in Cartagena, Colombia is being seen by foreign policy experts as a watershed moment in the redrafting of global drugs policy in favour of a more nuanced and liberalised approach.

Otto Pérez Molina, the president of Guatemala, who as former head of his country's military intelligence service experienced the power of drug cartels at close hand, is pushing his fellow Latin American leaders to use the summit to endorse a new regional security plan that would see an end to prohibition. In the Observer, Pérez Molina writes: "The prohibition paradigm that inspires mainstream global drug policy today is based on a false premise: that global drug markets can be eradicated."

Pérez Molina concedes that moving beyond prohibition is problematic. "To suggest liberalisation – allowing consumption, production and trafficking of drugs without any restriction whatsoever – would be, in my opinion, profoundly irresponsible. Even more, it is an absurd proposition. If we accept regulations for alcoholic drinks and tobacco consumption and production, why should we allow drugs to be consumed and produced without any restrictions?"

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/07/war-drugs-latin-american-leaders

[Arctic Dave]

1. This guy is making way to much sense.

Expect the jackals to come and shut him up.

[cstanleytech]

2. And in other news water is wet.

[JackRiddler]

16. When you have an international hegemony dedicated to the opposite proposition, then it is news.

The blood spilled in "the war on drugs" is also wet.

[cstanleytech]

17. I didnt say it wasnt news, its just not "new" news because its been known for decades that

the "war on drugs" was lost long ago thus my post.

[a la izquierda]

3. It disturbs me when a right wing, military leader, and former...

death squad-er makes sense. It makes me wonder who is pulling his strings.

[bemildred]

4. I wonder who he is afraid of.

Which you could argue is the same thing, but can be less overt.

[a la izquierda]

8. Right, good point.

Guatemala is such a messed up country (thanks, CIA and right wing oligarchs), but I have been intensely curious about Perez Molina's pronouncements of late.

[bemildred]

9. Yes.

Last edited Sun Apr 8, 2012, 09:48 AM - Edit history (1)

Something is up, and it is easy to see why (the WOD has been a disastrous fuckup, as these anal-retentive campaigns always are), but I can't tell what particular parties like Perez Molina are up to, and I don't know near enough about contemporary politics in CA to speculate.

[a la izquierda]

12. I'm a historian of the region...

but my specialty is Mexico. I know Guatemala's history very well (I'm actually teaching it this week- talk about depressing), but I don't keep too up to date with current events. I've got Mexican presidential elections on my mind at the moment.

[bemildred]

14. Yeah, I read history, but news is another matter.

I don't read Spanish well enough to go to native language news sites, something I would remedy if I had to do it over, and MSM here puts so much "english" on the stories that it's hard to keep up that way, plus the area gets little coverage unless there is some terrible crisis or another.

I've been reading about Mexico a good deal lately, but it's BIG and complicated and deep (and fascinating).

[truthisfreedom]

5. They should be regulated. The people who use hard drugs should have altered license plates

and should know that they can be pulled over at any time to test whether they're under the influence while driving. There should be a special drivers license for hard drug users. Basically the message should be, if you're going to use drugs, stay home or have a sober driver.

Hard drug users might be subjected to limited health insurance, and might be required to keep a special medical savings account or pay higher premiums to get health insurance.

Eventually, of course, drinkers would fall under that category. That's the price we have to pay, I guess.

[cstanleytech]

6. Oh or about little patches say in the shape of a star of david on their clothing!!!

Now come on be serious, that idea is just a bad idea as much as yours is about requiring special plates all it is is a scarlet letter type thing.
Legalize the use of the drugs for over 21 by all means I agree and if they do drugs and commit a crime then their held just as accountable as if they were drunk and commit a crime.

[bemildred]

7. It is already illegal to drive when impaired, for any reason.

Where I live anyway.
And cops can already stop you whenever they want.
And that's really all you need, making the vehicle code messy won't help.

[lunatica]

10. Are you talking about what to do if drugs are legalized?

How is that going to work, say, like in court?

[Tom Ripley]

11. Should that also be extended to those who use antidepressants, psychoactives, cold medication,

nicotine, refined sugar, etc...?

[Uncle Joe]

13. It's good that some political leaders can admit this.

Thanks for the thread, alp.

[starfox172]

15. the sky is blue?! NO WAY

lolz