The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has sparked a heated debate in the country and internationally by suggesting the possibility of legalizing cocaine. During a live broadcast of a Cabinet meeting, Petro stated that "cocaine is no worse than whiskey." He suggested that this measure could dismantle the drug trafficking business, equating the distribution of cocaine with that of wine or whiskey.
In his speech, the president reflected on illegal economies and drug policies, emphasizing the responsibility of major pharmaceutical companies in the spread of such substances. He criticized the equation between drug traffickers and groups seeking peace, warning about negotiations with these actors and their impact on the fight against drug trafficking.
Petro's controversial statements also extended to mentioning fentanyl, a synthetic opioid responsible for numerous deaths in the United States. The president argued that the illegality of cocaine is not based on its health effects but on the production conditions in Latin America, pointing to the U.S. pharmaceutical industry as responsible for the fentanyl crisis.
Petro proposed that the revenue generated from the legal sale of cocaine could be allocated to public policies to combat the consumption of more harmful substances, such as alcohol. He also questioned the use of other substances permitted by law, such as vaporizers, describing them as more harmful than cigarettes. In this context, the president called for centering any conversation with drug trafficking groups on dismantling their operations instead of legitimizing their activities.
