Global Ganja Report

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said that legalization of soft drugs such as cannabis would allow shifting focus to harder drugs and help to stop international violence and trafficking. In an interview with Metro News, Santos said: "The world needs to discuss new approaches... we are basically still thinking within the same framework as we have done for the last 40 years." 

Santos said that legalizing soft drugs could be a way forward, "provided everyone does it at the same time. However, he asserted that he cannot be the first to make the move, "because for Colombia, this is a matter of national security."

"Drug trafficking is what finances the violence and the irregular groups in our country," Santos said. "I would be crucified if I took the first step. We need to insist on more multinational actions on drug trafficking and innovate the ways we are dealing with it."

He put the onus on world leaders to make the first move, stating that "in other countries, this is mainly a health and crime issue." (Colombia Reports, Oct. 31)

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